Love Cut Short
by Zeria
Summary: When Chris dies he goes to the new, changed future, and discovers he's engaged to a stranger, and has a couple new relatives. In the past, Leo, Pheobe, and Paige try to hide Chris' death from Piper. What happens when she finds out?
1. Piper's Promise and Chris's Confusion

Title: A Love Cut Short

Author: Zeria

Summary: When Chris dies he returns to the Future to find that he is engaged to a perfect stranger. Meanwhile in the past Leo, Paige and Phoebe attempt to hide Chris' "Death" from Piper

Rating: PG-13

Disclaimer: I own nothing. :(

"He is so beautiful."  
  
Piper smiled at her ex-husband's words. Yes, baby Chris was truly a sight to behold with his chubby baby cheeks, downy tuft of brown hair, and those dark navy blue eyes that all babies seem to have until their true eye color manifests. The surprise of which eye color her son would have was non-existent though. She had seen him as an adult, and often found herself staring into his intense green eyes. They were just like his father's.  
  
It seemed so long ago, that day when Chris Perry had magically appeared in their lives. A strange whitelighter from the future on a quest to save Wyatt. It wasn't until nine months earlier that she and the rest of the family had learned Chris Perry was actually Chris Halliwell. Wyatt's little brother.  
  
"Piper?" Leo was staring at her a concerned look on his face. He'd been giving her that look nearly every five minutes. She supposed she couldn't be upset with him for worrying about her though. Chris' birth had hardly been smooth. Both she and the baby nearly died.   
  
"I'm fine, Leo. Just thinking about the 'other' Chris."  
  
All color seemed to drain out of her ex's face. Why wouldn't he look at her?  
  
"Leo? Hey, what's wrong?"  
  
"I'm sorry adult Chris couldn't be here. I'm really going to miss him."  
  
Piper nodded. "Me too."  
  
When Leo had told her he had sent Chris back to the future, Piper had felt a strange wrongness in the pit of her stomach. She still got it every time Leo mentioned Chris' absence. It was as if...no, Leo would never lie to her. He was an angel...literally. She just missed her son. That had to be it. It was silly really. It wasn't as if Chris was truly gone. She was holding him, well, at least a baby version of him. Besides, she knew he had to go back eventually. It was only fair that he got to enjoy the future he helped to save.   
  
"I should probably get going, Piper. Visiting hours are over. Plus, I want to see Wyatt, tuck him into bed, maybe just hold him for awhile."  
  
"Give him a kiss and a hug for me?"   
  
Leo smiled. "Of course." With that the bright blue and white lights known as orbs surrounded him and he was gone.  
  
Piper sighed and glanced down at the sleeping baby in her arms. "I swear, Chris, this time around we aren't going to make those mistakes. You are going to be safe, happy and loved. No more pain for you, Mister. I promise. I don't care if I have to take on the whole world. You deserve happiness."  
  
First was pain. A sharp, burning pain in his gut. It felt like his insides were being put through a shredder. He couldn't move, couldn't really think even. All that existed was the pain. Sure he knew Leo was there asking him to hold on, but the reality was the agony he felt. The truth was the torture his body was enduring. Hold on? Yeah, sure, Dad.  
  
Next there was the calm. Death? Well, nothing could be worse than the feeling of your guts being sliced and diced. It might actually be nice to pass on. Peaceful even. His family would be there to meet him. The mom from his time, the one he had lost when he was fourteen, she would surely be there to welcome him into the after life. He missed her so much.  
  
A light appeared, bright, but not painfully so. It was warm and inviting. Wait. Lights that are warm and inviting are usually not a good sign. Oh, great, so he really was dead. Might as well...MOM? She was there! She was smiling and waving. Waving? It looked like she was waving goodbye. No, he wasn't going to hell was he? He had messed with the time line, even killed an innocent or two, but it was all for the greater good! He sounded like Gideon now. That psycho elder had murdered him and attempted to murder Wyatt. Maybe Chris deserved to go to hell, but why would Piper be smiling, then? No, something was going on. Something weird.  
  
He could feel himself being pulled downward slowly away from his mother. Oh, down is bad. Down is very, very bad.   
  
"Chris? Chris, wake up breakfast is getting cold."  
  
Huh?  
  
The young man cautiously opened one eye, then the other. A young girl was standing at the end of the bed her arms folded and a frown on her face. She looked so much like Pheobe, especially the big brown eyes. Wait, that couldn't be...?  
  
"Listen, Chris, Paris went to all that trouble to make pancakes for your birthday. The least you can do is come down stares and pretend to like them."  
  
Chris slowly sat up, glancing at his stomach to make sure the giant, bloody wound wasn't still there. Nope. Not even a scratch. What the heck is going on? Prue and Paris are alive? He isn't dead? Then...Leo did it!! He saved Wyatt! That was the only explanation. If Wyatt were never evil his cousins would all be alive, and he never would have been in the past and Gideon would have never gotten the chance to stab him! Yesssssss!!!  
  
Prue sighed. "Okay, I know it isn't fair to have to deal with food poisoning on your birthday, but do you really want to be the one to tell Paris her cooking stinks?"  
  
"Uh, I'll be down in a sec. Just let me get dressed and cleaned up a bit."  
  
"Sure."  
  
As Prue opened the door to leave, a mini-clone of Paige came rushing in and jumped up on the bed. Prue sighed again. "Pearl, haven't we all told you a billion times you are too old to be running around and jumping on beds?" When she didn't even receive so much as a look, the older girl shook her head and left.   
  
Chris smiled to himself. His baby cousin Pearl. Wow, she wasn't a baby anymore. She looked what? Twelve, thirteen? She was the spitting image of Paige. Amazing. She had always borne a strong resemblance to her mother but this was just eerie.  
  
"I wanted to give you your first present. That way it is the most special no matter what really great gifts the others give you." She handed him a rectangular shaped box covered in pink wrapping paper. She grinned. "I picked the wrapper special for ya."  
  
"Thanks. Pink always has been a favorite of mine." He replied sarcastically.  
  
He slowly peeled away the layers of wrapper until he was left with the present hidden underneath. It was a picture in a cherry wood frame. The last family photo ever taken, back when his mom was still alive. Chris looked up at his baby cousin and smiled softly. "This is the best present anyone could possibly have given me. How did you get this? I thought I threw all her photos in the fire when I found out that mom was...you know."  
  
"Wyatt helped me." She looked down sheepishly. "We sort of used a spell. I know, I know, personal gain, but not really cause it was for you and not us. Besides, we never would have been able to get it otherwise."  
  
Chris leaned forward pulling her into a hug. "Thanks."  
  
As they slowly pulled apart, Pearl scrunched up her face. "We should probably get downstairs before Paris's head implodes. She's already mad because...well, uh, let's just say don't go near the homemade smoothies."  
  
She hopped down off the bed and scooted out the door without another word.  
  
Chris just shook his head. This was incredible. His cousins were alive and all grown up. Best of all, if they were back in the land of the living, then Bianca had to be too! The woman he loved just had to be alive. He couldn't imagine a future without her in it. When she died, he only managed to go on with his mission because of the hope he held that she would come back if he could save Wyatt. If his brother wasn't evil, he would never have killed her. It made sense that she'd be alive. And when Chris saw her again, held her again, he would know without a doubt that this life was perfect.  
  
The young man was still pondering the possibilities when the door flung open and a very upset looking woman came rushing in carrying a big brown paper bag full what seemed to be decorations. Her long strawberry blonde curls bounced as she stormed over to the dresser drawer and threw down the bag. She turned around to face Chris, her hands on her hips. She had the most amazing blue eyes...  
  
"You would not believe the day I have had! First the caterer called. You know what that pompous little runt said? He said he couldn't do the wedding because another couple is getting married on the exact same day and they're willing to pay him more. Can you believe the nerve of that guy? The wedding is two weeks away! How am I ever gonna find someone to take the job on such short notice? Then, the florist called. Turns out she is Robbie's Aunt. I mean how lucky can you get? My ex-fiancee's Aunt was going to be the florist, only now that she knows who I am, she won't do it. Says it will break poor Robbie's heart. He cheated on me! What heart is she referring to? Then when I was at the store picking up supplies for your party..." She paused her face turning from rage to guilt. "Oh, my god. What is wrong with me? It's your birthday and I'm sitting here bitching about my day to you. You don't need this. I'm so sorry."  
  
Chris could only manage a weak half-smile. "Uh, no problem." He felt like adding, 'whoever you are', but thought better of it.  
  
The red-head moved over to the bed and sat on the edge next to him, sidling her petite frame against his muscular one. "Happy birthday, baby." She leaned in and before Chris had the chance to figure out what to do, the stranger was kissing him. Passionately.   
  
She slowly pulled away leaving Chris to just sit there staring at her. The woman, however didn't notice his dumb look of shock. She simply smiled shaking her head. "Sorry I acted like such a witch just then." Her eyes grew wide in panic. "I mean demon! Witches are good! Very nice handsome people." She bit her lower lip and grimaced. "Sorry, guess I need to learn some new figures of speech, huh?"  
  
Chris blinked.  
  
"Hey, Chris, you feeling ok?"  
  
"Uh...I just...you know need a shower and to get some coffee. I'm not awake yet."  
  
The petite woman nodded. "Ah. Well, in that case, I am going to go downstairs and talk to Emily. If I'm lucky she'll be done feeding Peyton, so I can hold the little angel. God, your niece is the most adorable little baby."  
  
Chris blinked again. Niece? Wyatt had a daughter? Who was Emily? Wyatt's wife? The baby's mother? When did that happen? And most importantly why in the name of all that is good does this woman think they are getting married? He's engaged to Bianca! Not some stranger! Bianca! Where was Bianca? !

TBC... anyone interested?


	2. Paige and Pheobe Mourn andChris' Morning

Title: Love Cut Short  
Author: Zeria  
rating: pg-13

summary: (for this part) Pheobe and Paige mourn, and Chris experiences his first morning with family.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Which is probably why I'm so dang poor.

**Chapter 2  
** For a stronghold of powerful good magic, the Halliwell home had certainly seen some of  
  
the darkest days. The Charmed Ones had lost their mother, grams, and even their sister Prue  
  
while dwelling in the manor. They had grieved for each of their lost loved ones in the confines  
  
of these walls. Tonight, Paige Matthews and Pheobe Halliwell were mourning for the latest loss:   
  
Christopher Perry Halliwell beloved son and nephew.  
  
The two women sat on the couch in the conservatory holding each other as they shed their  
  
tears. For a long while no one said a word. Neither was sure what to say. Their nephew had  
  
been born today while his future self had been murdered. It was difficult to decide whether to  
  
smile or sob.  
  
Paige was the first to break the silence. "Poor Leo. Pheobe, I've never seen him like that  
  
before. He was...pissed. Crazed even. I thought he was going to bring the house down around  
  
us."  
  
"Can you blame him, Paige? The man lost his son." Pheobe shook her head. "They had  
  
just resolved all those issues too. They were getting closer every day."  
  
"We all were."  
  
Phoebe leaned back and crossed her arms over her chest. "It's not fair. We were just  
  
starting to see the real Chris, starting to really love him."  
  
"Then that bastard Gideon had to cut it short by-" Paige couldn't bring herself to say the  
  
ugly word yet. She closed her eyes. "I'm really going to miss that neurotic little smart-ass."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Lifting up her head, Phoebe caught a glance of the crib and couldn't help but let a smile  
  
escape her lips. "Technically, though, he is still with us. I mean, it could be worse. We could  
  
have lost both Adult Chris and baby Chris. Maybe Piper too."  
  
"Uh, yeah, speaking of good old Piper, what exactly are we going to tell her? I mean it's  
  
not as though we can just drop this on her like, 'Hey congrats on the baby. P.S. just thought you  
  
might want to know Big Chris was murdered by the psycho elder. Love ya, bye!' Call me crazy,  
  
but I'm not thinking that would go over real well."  
  
Pheobe began to look sheepish. "Well, er, that is kind of why Leo lied and said we used  
  
the potion to send Chris back to his own time."  
  
"You what! Phoebe! You can't lie to her about this! Even if I did think this was a good  
  
idea-**which I don't**-there is no way we could pull it off. Especially you. You couldn't even help  
  
yourself from blabbing to Leo about who Chris really was. Do you honestly think you can keep  
  
this a secret? Cause, I seriously don't think so. Besides, Piper has a right to know."  
  
"I know, it's just." Pheobe sighed, "how can we put her through even more pain? She  
  
has been through so much already. So, all right, my secret keeping abilities are not great-" off  
  
Paige's incredulous look, "okay, they're horrible. Still, if it will keep Piper from experiencing  
  
more pain, then I have to try."  
  
Paige just kept frowning. "I don't like this."  
  
"Please, Paige? Pretty please? For Piper's sake?"  
  
"Oh, fine, you win, but I still don't like it."  
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
After a quick shower and shave Chris headed downstairs to confront his new life. While  
  
the discovery of a fiancee that was not Bianca was completely shocking, if not **horrifying**-even  
  
more so because she was a perfect stranger-Chris knew that hiding in his room for the rest of his  
  
life wasn't exactly an option. Besides, he could play along for a little while, just until he found  
  
Bianca. Which he would. He would find her and then come up with a spell to bring back her  
  
memories of their life together. They would finally be able to have the life they deserved. They  
  
would finally be together.  
  
When he reached the doorway to the kitchen, Chris was surprised to see so many people  
  
crammed into such a small space. Prue was seated at the table finishing up what appeared to be  
  
college algebra, Paris was cleaning up the dishes, Pearl was eating toast and talking to her  
  
mother, who was pouring what was probably her third glass of coffee (good old Paige still a  
  
caffeine addict), Chris' 'fiancee' was at the table bouncing a baby on her knee while talking  
  
to...Emily? That was Emily?   
  
Emily was a strong telepath Chris had met at magic school in his own world. She was a  
  
great girl: fun, pretty, quick witted. He liked her a lot. So much in fact, he had dated her for six  
  
months in the high school years. She was the first girl he had ever...oh, no. This couldn't be  
  
Wyatt's wife, the mother of his daughter! This was bad. Or was it? Had they ever...in this  
  
world? If they had, did Wyatt know?  
  
"Happy Birthday, sunshine!" Emily greeted him, grinning. "Wyatt wanted me to let you  
  
know he got called into the hospital this morning, but he is positive he can make it to the party  
  
tonight, and that's when you'll get our present. Oh, and Melinda got sick again, so Phoebe ran  
  
her into the clinic. I'm sure it's just the flu though. So, don't worry too much about her."  
  
Chris had to force himself not to ask who Melinda was. And was Wyatt a doctor? What a  
  
switch: psychotic leader of all evil to a licensed healer. That could take some getting used to.   
  
Not that he minded the change in the least, it was after all what he had been fighting for.   
  
Actually what he sort of died for.  
  
"Here are some pancakes for the Birthday Boy!" Paris announced offering him a heaping  
  
plateful. "Made 'em all by myself."  
  
"Uh, thanks." Looking at the black, circular rocks he had been handed, Chris understood  
  
why Pearl and Prue had been worried.   
  
Paige had in the meantime made her way over to his side. "Happy 23rd birthday, Chris. Wow,  
  
do I feel old." She smiled and wrapped her arms around him hugging him tightly. When she  
  
pulled away she seemed to be studying him for a second. "You seem...different today."   
  
"Really?" Chris asked nervously. He seriously didn't want anyone knowing about his  
  
journey back to the future quite yet. He needed to get himself adjusted before he talked to  
  
anyone about it. Besides, Leo would be the person he would turn to first. His Dad at least  
  
deserved to know he was okay. Where was Leo anyway? Probably 'up there'.  
  
"Hmm?" Paige frowned still uncertain what it was she thought she had felt. She shook her  
  
head waving it off. "Well, as much as I'd like to stay and chat with one of my favorite nephews,  
  
I've got to get to work." She turned around to look at Paris and Pearl. "Come on you two. Let's  
  
get to school."  
  
The two girls groaned and moaned as they went over to Paige to orb to magic school  
  
together. As white and blue lights encircled the three ladies, Pearl and Paris' voices floated  
  
down simultaneously. "Happy Birthday, Chris!"  
  
Prue glanced up from her homework. "Ugh, I so don't feel like going to classes today." She  
  
stood up and went over to the key rack picking up a set. "You know, if traffic weren't so bad I  
  
wouldn't actually have to leave for another half an hour, but nooo, we have to live in the city."  
  
She left the room shaking her head the whole way out.  
  
Chris just smiled to himself and took a seat next to Emily at the table. He had forgotten how  
  
nice having a family could be. Even if it was one as large and quirky as his.  
  
"You aren't actually going to eat that are you?" Courtney asked concerned. "I'll make you  
  
something else, just please don't eat those. I'd like you to be alive long enough to marry me."  
  
Emily laughed. "After the wedding she doesn't care whether you live or die. She just wants  
  
the ring on her finger." She shook her head in amusement.   
  
"Well, that is just not true," Courtney began, "I want shares in P3 too."  
  
Both women cracked up. Chris just rolled his eyes.  
  
It was at this moment the baby decided to orb into Chris' lap. He hadn't been expecting it and  
  
nearly dropped the poor little girl. Peyton smiled gurgling up at her uncle. Chris had to admit,  
  
Wyatt had actually made one very cute little baby. "Hey there, Peyton. What are you up to?"  
  
"So, Chris, when are you going to get Courtney one of those, so she'll stop stealing mine?"   
  
Chris' smile vanished and he began to attempt to form a sentence only to fail repeatedly.  
  
"Em! Leave the poor man alone." Courtney said, her face red with embarrassment.  
  
"Honestly, it's his birthday. Teasing him about children just isn't fair today." She turned to  
  
Chris. "Honey, breathe she was just kidding. We both agreed no kids for a looong time. Both of  
  
us are way to busy to be parents; everyone knows they are going to have to wait to see  
  
mini-Chris' running around."  
  
This was ridiculous! He didn't even know this woman, yet people were already talking about  
  
their progeny? No, no, no. If he was going to have any kids, which he doubted he would, they  
  
would be with Bianca! Joking about having a family with this woman was just too much.  
  
Playing along is one thing, but he really didn't want to think about what he was going to was it? When he

and Bianca reunited. She seemed like a sweet girl, and he didn't want to have to hurt her, but he was in love

with Bianca. That was that.  
  
"Chris?" Courtney leaned toward him, her strawberry-blonde ringlets falling over her shoulders. "Are you

feeling okay this morning?"  
  
He looked up and forced a smile. "Yeah, I just...I think I need some air. Maybe I'll take a walk."  
  
Emily stood up and took Peyton from Chris. "I think I'm going to go lay her down. I'll see  
  
you later."  
  
"Well, if you are going for a walk, I think I'm going to head over to P3 and start putting up  
  
the decorations. Wyatt said he would do it, but if he got called in, who knows when he'll be  
  
back." Courtney stood up and promptly swayed on her feet.  
  
Chris jumped up to steady her. "Hey are you okay?"  
  
"Oh, major head rush. Think I stood up too fast." She smiled. "Nice save, though." She  
  
pulled loose of his hold and began walking toward the door. "I really need to get started at the  
  
club if everything is going to be ready for tonight. Oh, great. I left everything up stairs didn't I?"  
  
"I'll get it." Chris answered just before orbing out. He snatched the bag from the dresser in his  
  
room upstairs then orbed back downstairs. When he got back, he noticed Courtney staring  
  
wide-eyed. Didn't she know about his being a witch? Besides, Paige and the girls had just done it  
  
a little while ago, too. "Uh, here's the stuff."  
  
Courtney nodded smiling gratefully. "Thanks. Wow. I know I've seen you do that before,  
  
but it's still so weird seeing the love of my life vanish into lights. I don't know. When Paige  
  
and Pearl do it I don't really even notice anymore. With you it's just so...I mean up until two  
  
months ago I thought I was going to be marrying average Joe and now it turns out you're actually  
  
some sort of super hero with magic powers and all. Saving the world from evil one day at a  
  
time." She blushed. "I'm rambling again aren't I?"  
  
Chris had to admit she was cute when she was uncomfortable.   
  
"Anyway, I really should get started." She smiled, her blue eyes dancing. Wrapping a hand  
  
around his neck she kissed him goodbye. He couldn't say he minded as much as he did the first  
  
time, though it still was awkward.   
  
He watched as she crawled into an emerald green jeep and speed away down the street. Then  
  
he sighed. She really did seem like a nice woman, and maybe if Bianca didn't exist the two of  
  
them could be happy together. Fact of the matter was, though, Bianca did exist, and now that  
  
just about everyone was gone and he had a good alibi, it was time to find the true love of his life.

TBC...

ibpapasgirl-Thanks for the review! I was worried no one would read it.

CaliforniaChick- Thanks! hopefully you'll like the rest too!


	3. Leo's thoughts and the Reunion

Title: Love Cut Short

Author : Zeria

Rating: Pg-13 (sexual inuendo in this part)

disclaimer: I still don't own 'em. But I am working on it... :)

AN: Thanks sooooooo much for the nice reviews!!! You all rule! Now, to answer the biggest question, I haven't decided who Chris is going to end up with, all I know is I'm going to make the decision as hard as possible. Cuz I am evil. :) Second is the question on relations. Here is the list:

Pheobe is alive in the Future. Paige is alive too. Piper is unfortunately still deceased. Leo is alive.

Alex Martin--haven't introduced him in the story yet, but he will be Pheobe's husband. He's mortal.

Prue Martin-Halliwell (19)--Pheobe's oldest. Has levitation and freezing.

Paris Martin-Halliwell (16)--Pheobe's youngest. Has premonitions and slight telepathy.

Pearl Matthews Halliwell (12)--Paige's only daughter. Orbing and premonitions.

Wyatt Halliwell (25)--Piper's oldest. Pretty much has any power you can think of.

Emily Halliwell (24)--Wyatt's wife. Telepathy.

Peyton Halliwell (5 months)--Wyatt's daugther. Orbing, telekinesis.

Melinda...is a surprise. You'll just have to wait for Chris to find out who she is first. ;)

Hope I answered all the questions for now. Thanks again for your thoughts!!!

Chapter 3  
  
Leo had never felt so lost before in his life. Or alone. He had seen his son die in his arms,  
  
helpless to do anything about it. He had lost a child, and there was no one he could turn to talk to  
  
about it. Sure, Pheobe and Paige knew, but they weren't parents; they didn't understand how  
  
unbearable it was to watch a child pass on before you. They loved Chris, though. They  
  
understood the loss in that light.   
  
Piper...what was he going to do? He had already put her through so much. Why was he  
  
always so concerned about his duties as a Whitelighter/Elder? Family was what truly mattered,  
  
he knew that. Screw what the others thought! He belonged with Piper and their boys. He  
  
wanted to be a good father...a good husband. Would he ever have another chance at being a  
  
husband, though? Could she ever forgive him for abandoning her and Wyatt? He couldn't  
  
forgive himself how could he expect her to?  
  
Then, there was Chris. He had failed to save their son. Their child was dead because he let  
  
Barbas use his fear of failing as a father against him. He hated himself for that. If only he had  
  
seen through the illusion. Chris...damn it why did he have to die! Why couldn't he have healed  
  
him!  
  
Piper wouldn't handle the real news well. She didn't even like the thought of him going back  
  
to the future. What would she think? Would she blame him as much as he blamed himself? Leo  
  
supposed he would never have to find out because he didn't ever plan on telling her Chris died.   
  
She had already lost a sister, and the grief almost destroyed her. How could he make her deal  
  
with the loss of her son? Besides, she was still weak from the c-section. She needed time to heal  
  
and adjust to baby Chris. By the time she would be ready for the news, it would be pointless-  
  
**cruel** even to tell her any differently than he had. Chris was happy in the future. That was all  
  
Piper needed to know.  
  
"Hey, Leo."  
  
The elder glanced up to see Pheobe and Paige standing in the doorway. "Hey, what are you  
  
two still doing up?"  
  
"Same thing as you." Paige said. "Thinking about Chris."  
  
Leo pursed his lips together trying very hard to remain strong, unemotional for the girls'  
  
sakes. It wasn't working. His vision was becoming blurred with the tears he refused to shed. He  
  
had lost it once today; he wasn't about to do it twice.  
  
Before he knew what was happening, both Paige and Pheobe were wrapping their arms  
  
around him telling him it would be okay.  
  
"I can't put Piper through this." He shook his head. "Please, she doesn't deserve this."  
  
Pheobe nodded. "We know. That's why Paige and I talked and agreed that we aren't going  
  
to tell her. It is just too much to handle for now. She has all those hormones wreaking havoc on  
  
her emotions as it is; plus she's got a new baby and a recovery to deal with."  
  
"But we have to tell her sometime, you guys." Paige argued. "She's his mother. We owe  
  
her the truth eventually."  
  
Leo looked away. "She comes home tomorrow morning. I should get ready for her and Chris'." He

abrubtly stood up and walked out the door.

"Gee, Pheebs, did you notice him just totally ignore me?"

Pheobe put an arm around her sister's shoulders. "He just needs sometime to grieve. He'll realize we have

to tell her eventually. Just give him time."

------------------------------------------------------------

The Law Agency of Martin and Van-Garret? Why did the crystal drop on this location? Had  
  
he made a mistake? Maybe it was too old a crystal? Or maybe the map was out-dated? Why  
  
would Bianca be in a law-firm? It just didn't make sense. A mistake had to have been made.  
  
"I mean it Harris. I need those documents ten minutes ago!"  
  
Chris turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. Bianca? It was her! She was a  
  
lawyer? She had never mentioned having an interest in the law. Apparently this Bianca did  
  
though. _This_ Bianca? They were the same person...right? Well, they would be after he cast the  
  
memory retrieval spell.  
  
He pulled out a small piece of white paper, on which was the spell he had written just before  
  
scrying for her. In a low, soft voice he began. "Ancient powers hear my plea-"  
  
"Chris!"   
  
Jerking his head up from the spell, Chris was shocked to see Bianca jogging over to him.   
  
They knew each other in this life? Then why weren't they together? What had happened? Did  
  
they ever date in this life?   
  
"I've been wondering how long it would take for you to remember." Bianca said once she  
  
was close to him. "Come on. Let's go somewhere a little more private to catch up."  
  
Before he could put a word in edge wise, she had grabbed his hand pulling him into a supply  
  
closet where she shimmered them out of the law firm and into a living room in what seemed like  
  
a very expensive apartment. She grinned at his impressed look. "Like it? Sure beats the dumps  
  
we stayed at when we were hiding from Wyatt."  
  
"You...you remember?" Chris asked still in shock.  
  
She nodded. "I wrote a pre-emptive spell to keep all memories of my life intact no matter  
  
what changes you made while in the past. I didn't know what kind of effect your changing the  
  
past might have, so I made the spell as a safety net. Good thing too. We never met in this life  
  
and not remembering you would make life worthless." She suddenly frowned. "It was so strange  
  
growing up remembering the other life. It was hard sometimes. Especially when I was younger  
  
and could remember the first time I had killed. I could see it and feel it as though I had  
  
done it, only I knew in my heart I hadn't done it this time. Sometimes I'm amazed I made it  
  
through without going insane. I guess I was just looking forward to the day I would meet the  
  
man I was destined to be with."  
  
Chris sighed. "That's great, but why don't I remember this life, too. I mean I lived it, right?"  
  
"You don't remember this life at all?"   
  
He shook his head. "No. One minute I'm dead, the next I'm here."  
  
"You died too?" She shook her head. "Nothing quite like it, huh?"  
  
Chris frowned ignoring her statement. The experience just a little too fresh for revisiting yet.   
  
"It's weird though. I expected to have memories of this life, not the other one. Or maybe to have  
  
both sets. This just doesn't make sense. Why don't I remember!"  
  
"The only reason I remember the old life is because of that spell. This new life is the real one  
  
for me. Maybe the old one is just too fresh in your mind and the new memories will come. I really don't  
  
know."  
  
Chris suddenly smiled and his voice became softer. "I've missed you so much. The thought of being with

you was the only thing that kept me going sometimes. I couldn't fail. If I did, I'd lose you for good. I swore  
  
I wouldn't let that happen."  
  
She went to his side. "Shh, I know. But it is all different now. Instead of an assassin, I'm a  
  
lawyer, a dang good one too. In this life, I have a clean slate. I may remember the horrible  
  
things I did, but it wasn't really me. I'm not that person. Not entirely anyway. So, don't dwell  
  
on the past. It is gone. You are finally free to be happy. No more death, no more suffering. It's  
  
just us...together. In the world we helped create." She kissed him and he returned it zealously.   
  
Until an image of Courtney popped into his mind. He groaned pulling away.  
  
"What is it?" Bianca asked frowning in concern.  
  
"Your life isn't the only one that changed."  
  
She smiled. "Is Piper...?"  
  
"N-no." He looked down. "I wish I could have warned her, but it wasn't my purpose for  
  
being there, and besides, who knows what would have happened if I had? Maybe I would have  
  
lost _everyone_ that day instead of just mom. I couldn't live with myself if that happened."  
  
Bianca took his hand in hers. "So, what changes were you referring to?"  
  
"Wyatt is married and they have a little girl. My cousins are all alive and grown up. Paige  
  
and Pheobe are both alive and well. Oh and guess what? I'm engaged to a perfect stranger."   
  
"What!"  
  
Chris shook his head. "Yeah. Her name is Courtney and that is about all I know about her.   
  
Well, except that she's a mortal who is still a little overwhelmed by the whole magic thing." He paused

sighing again. "Bianca, what am I going to do? She thinks I'm her fiancee, the love of her life. I'm not,

though. I don't even remember her! I love you. I want to marry you, not her. What the hell am I supposed to

tell her?"  
  
Bianca placed her soft hand on the side of his face. "You tell her the truth. I mean, you can't  
  
just let her go on believing you two are in love and going to get married. That'd be cruel."  
  
"I'm going to have to break her heart no matter what." Chris looked away. "I hate being in  
  
this position. I mean I can't be with her when I am in love with you, but she doesn't deserve to  
  
be left in the lurch two weeks before her wedding either. She seems like a nice woman, and I  
  
wish there was a way to soften the blow." He closed his eyes and put his head in his hands as  
  
another thought hit him. "Oh my god. My family is going to kill me. They all adore her."  
  
"Then let **them** marry her." Bianca spat. "Listen, Chris, we gave up everything to make this  
  
world a better place...a safe place. They can't expect us to give up each other too. I know I  
  
won't. I have loved you my whole life and I've been waiting for over two decades to be with  
  
you. Nothing is going to stop me from being with you."  
  
"I know. I love you too. And we will be together...it's just going to take some time." He  
  
flashed her a hopeful look. "If we can just keep our relationship a secret for just a little while,  
  
then I can prepare everyone for the big news. Then maybe it won't be so hard on everyone.   
  
Please, Bianca, it's just for a little while."  
  
The young woman let out a frustrated breath. "Fine. I mean I've waited this long what's a  
  
little while longer?"  
  
"Thank you."   
  
She grinned. "There is one thing I don't want to have to wait for though..." With that she  
  
took him by the hand and led him into the bedroom where the reunion was made complete.

TBC...

I decided to let her remember just to quicken things a bit. I have a lot of other hitches in store for them though.


	4. The Dream and FatherSon Chat

Title: Love Cut Short

Author: Zeria

rating: Pg-13 for mild language and some sexual inuendo

disclaimer: Still make no $ because I really don't own them. Wish I did, but I don't.

AN: Oh wow! You guys are so great! I love all the reviews and ideas I've gotten from everyone. I will try to implement them into the story as best I can. Oh, and Piper/Leo fans, this one's for you.

Chapter 4  
  
Piper tossed and turned in the small hospital bed. Beads of sweat were forming on her brow,   
  
which was burrowed in anxiety. She was murmuring incoherently, sometimes even   
  
whimpering. At one point during the night she had even cried out. A passing nurse had heard  
  
the scream and rushed in to try to wake up the seemingly terrified woman, but by the time she  
  
reached Piper's side, the woman seemed to be back to just murmuring. So, she had let her be.  
  
The dream was so vivid the eldest Halliwell could almost feel her son's body as he lay limp in  
  
her arms. It couldn't be real though. Chris was alive and well and in the future. He wasn't dead.   
  
He wasn't stabbed by Gideon...right?  
  
The dream always started out the same. Chris was looking in the Book of Shadows, something not  
  
uncommon. Then, there was a creak. Her son would look up. Another creak. He called out.   
  
No one answered of course. Her son wasn't stupid, though, he knew someone was causing the  
  
floorboards to squeak. Then, the dream sped up. She could see Chris trying to fend off Gideon  
  
who had suddenly appeared. He even managed to send the pompous Head Master across the  
  
room, but then it always ended with the Elder stabbing her son in the gut.   
  
Piper couldn't bear the rest of the dream. It was so brutal. The look on his face, so scared, so  
  
childlike in that moment. Then she could see blood seeping from the wood. Her baby's blood  
  
had been spilled and there was no way to fix it. She could sense that much. Then in a flash,  
  
Chris was lying in her room, in her bed. He was saying something, but she couldn't hear what.   
  
Then, he vanished. He just literally slipped away into the air.  
  
Jerking up into a sitting position, Piper could feel the tears rolling down her cheeks. Even her  
  
heart was pounding against her chest at the speed of light. It was just so real. So, unbearably real.  
  
Blue and white lights appeared, taking on the form of her husband. No, he was her  
  
ex-husband. Right? She didn't even know for sure, anymore. All she knew was that he was here  
  
with her, and she was thankful.  
  
"Shh, Piper, it's okay." He kept repeating it over and over while he held her close, stroking  
  
her long, silky brown hair to calm her.  
  
After a few minutes, she was able to steady her breathing and cease most of the tears. She  
  
pulled slowly, reluctantly out of his grasp to enable her to look into his eyes. She needed the  
  
strength she always found in those amazing green eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry. I...I just had this...this dream. It was so real, Leo. I've never had one so real  
  
before." She sniffled as she wiped away a few more stray tears.  
  
Leo didn't have to ask what the dream was about. He knew. He had lived it. "It's okay,  
  
Piper, it was just a dream. Go back to sleep. You need your rest if you and Chris are going to  
  
come home tomorrow."  
  
"Yeah." She laid down on the pillow. "I'm sorry I tripped your whitelighter /  
  
charge in pain connection for such a silly reason. I mean it was just a nightmare."  
  
Her husband stroked her cheek with his thumb, smiling down on her. "Yeah, just a  
  
nightmare."   
  
He couldn't stand lying to her. He could feel his heart clench in agony with every untruthful  
  
word. Still...he couldn't tell her. He just couldn't.   
  
"I should go." Leo stood, ready to orb when he felt Piper's hand on his arm.  
  
She smiled up at him with a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Please stay. Just until I fall asleep."  
  
"Of course."   
  
Piper scooted over on the bed to make room for the whitelighter. He laid down, almost  
  
tentatively. In his mind he felt he didn't deserve to be so close to her when he was lying to her.   
  
Still...it was for her own good! Besides, it felt right to be near her. It felt even better when she  
  
put her arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder.   
  
Leo sighed torn between the truth and protecting the woman he loved. "I do love you, Piper."  
  
Half asleep Piper smiled and groggily replied, "I love you too."  
  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
As Chris orbed into the manner, he began trying to come up with ways to tell everyone  
  
the truth. It wasn't going to be easy to explain that he was a Chris from an alternate world. It  
  
would be even harder to try to explain it to a mortal. If she was amazed by orbing, then this  
  
would just blow Courtney away. He sighed. This was really going to be one of the hardest  
  
things he'd ever done.  
  
"Hey there, Chris."  
  
The young man turned toward the sound of his father's voice. Sure enough Leo was  
  
standing in the doorway to the kitchen, arms folded over his chest. He wasn't exactly wearing a  
  
smile though.   
  
"Hey, Dad." Chris managed a small smile, but it faded as Leo's frown began to harden.   
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"How's Gideon these days?"  
  
Chris instinctively bristled. "I'm not sure I know where you're going with this, Leo."  
  
"Leo? Not dad?" The elder slowly smiled his eyes dancing in joy. "Chris, you  
  
remember don't you? You remember the other world?"  
  
The young man nodded. "One minute I'm nowhere the next, I'm here. And guess what?   
  
I don't remember anything about this life. So, if you know what the hell is happening to me, I'd  
  
love to hear it."  
  
"The elders brought your consciousness back from...well, from the dead. They said you  
  
deserved to enjoy the life you worked so hard to create. I wasn't sure whether or not to believe them. I

mean, it wouldn't be the first time they've lied. As for not remembering anything about  
  
this life, I don't see why you don't. I mean, this is the real world, now. You lived this life. The  
  
other memories are only supposed to be like background music, always there to reach out to, but  
  
not the most important part of the scene."  
  
"Well, I **don'**t remember." Chris shook his head, anger creeping into his voice. "I don't  
  
remember Wyatt getting married. I don't remember Prue's graduation. I don't remember  
  
Peyton. And who is Melinda? Another one of Pheobe's kids? Or Paige's?"  
  
Leo frowned obviously deeply concerned. "You don't know Melinda?"  
  
"Isn't that what I_ just_ said?"  
  
"But, Chris, she's...she's your sister." Leo shook his head slowly as if in shock. "She  
  
never existed in your world?"  
  
Chris blinked numbly. "I...my...when? Sister? I have a sister? When? How? No, I  
  
know how, but you and mom were never together long enough to...oh my god. A sister?"  
  
Leo nodded, smiling. "Yeah. She's seventeen. Senior in highschool. You and  
  
she are closer than close. You were always together growing up. You could expect that in an  
  
argument you two would be on the same side of it. And if anyone dared say anything against her  
  
big brother she would probably kill them." He let out a small laugh as he recalled a specific  
  
instance when his daughter had lost her temper. He swallowed then, knowing that he had to  
  
warn his son about a couple things. "Chris, she looks so much like Piper. You wouldn't believe  
  
how much. I can just see your mother looking out at me from those eyes sometimes."  
  
"So, you and mom really stuck together this go around?" Chris shook his head amazed. He had only

partially heard what his father had said. "A sister. Wow. As if there weren't enough girls in this house as it

was. You know, though, growing up I always sort of wanted a little sister. Weird, huh?"  
  
"Chris, there is something you need to be prepared for regarding Mel." Leo paused.   
  
"She's pregnant. Six months to be exact."  
  
Chris' face fell almost instantly. "What? But she's only a kid. Seventeen is way too  
  
young to handle being a mother. Especially if the baby is magical. Who's the father?"  
  
"A boy she met in magic school. They had been seeing each other for a year, but as soon  
  
as she told him the news, he was gone."  
  
Chris set his jaw, his eyes flashing. "What a little...how could he just bail on her? I  
  
mean, I know it would be scary to be a teenage father, but to just put a girl in that position and  
  
then split? I hate guys like that."  
  
Leo smiled at his son's protectiveness. Some things just don't change. Chris would  
  
always want to save the one's he loved from pain. He would always have his mother's temper  
  
too. "Yeah, that's what you said the first time you found out."  
  
Chris suddenly turned his head away. "I have a really big problem, Dad. Bigger than I  
  
know how to handle."  
  
"What is it, Son?"  
  
"Being as I don't remember this life, I have absolutely no memory of Courtney."  
  
Leo closed his eyes. "Oh, no."  
  
"Oh, yes." Chris shook his head. "I am engaged to a perfect stranger! I don't even know  
  
her last name. I don't know how we met, when I proposed...nothing!"  
  
"You saw Bianca didn't you."  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
Leo sighed. "I just realized that what I've been smelling since you walked in was  
  
woman's perfume. Courtney is allergic to perfume. I put two and two together." He frowned.  
  
"Couldn't you have waited until after you dealt with Courtney?"  
  
Chris winced knowing he deserved the reprimand. "I didn't mean for the visit to go that  
  
far. I had intended on telling Courtney the truth first. It's just...she died in my arms, Dad. I lost  
  
her, but now she's back and she remembers and so help me I love her and I made a mistake. I'm  
  
only human."  
  
"But Courtney deserves to know. She needs to understand you are not the Chris she was  
  
engaged to. If she finds out about this before understanding the situation, it will destroy her.   
  
You might not know this, but her last boyfriend, her fiancee to be exact, cheated on her the night  
  
before they were supposed to get married. This is one giant repeat of that, Chris!"  
  
Chris let out a frustrated breath of air. "I get it, Leo. I really do. But the fact of the  
  
matter is, no matter what, I have to break her heart."  
  
"Why? You don't know for certain that the memories won't come back. Besides, she is  
  
a good, loyal woman with a warm, loving heart. Maybe you don't remember how much you  
  
loved her, but **I do**. I saw it in your eyes every single time you looked at her. Maybe if you just  
  
gave it a chance-"  
  
"Leo, no! I love Bianca. We have been through hell and back and I'm not going to ever  
  
lose her again."  
  
"Chris-" Leo tried to warn him, but his son just kept ranting.  
  
"No. I mean it. I will marry Bianca. I love her. I am going to regret having to hurt  
  
Courtney, but I have to go with my heart. And, my heart belongs to Bianca."  
  
"I can't believe this."  
  
Chris' face fell as soon as he heard that voice. He turned around slowly only to come  
  
face to face with blue eyes filled with just the right amount of confusion and pain to send his  
  
heart screaming in guilt.  
  
Courtney stood behind him near the back door of the kitchen. Her car keys were in one  
  
hand, and a present was in the other. Before Chris could say anything, the young woman placed  
  
the present on the table and turned to leave.

tbc...

Sorry this was so short. The next part will be really really long, though. ;)


	5. The Truth Revealed

Title: Love Cut Short

Author: Zeria

rating: pg-13 for sexual references and language

DISCLAIMER: I make no $ because nothing about this story (except the idea) is mine.

Chapter 5  
  
As Piper stirred from slumber, she noticed Leo was still laying next to her. She heard him  
  
groan and realized he must have fallen asleep too. She smiled and cuddled closer to him. She  
  
had missed this. She had missed being just being held by him, just cuddling. She wanted to  
  
believe that now baby Chris was here maybe, just maybe, Leo would stay with them. Perhaps,  
  
they would even have a second chance at their marriage. She hoped so more than she would like  
  
to admit.  
  
"Chris, no!" Leo cried out in his sleep.  
  
Piper sat up staring at the father of her children. What had he said? Was he having a  
  
nightmare about Chris too? Why? He had been the one to send Chris home: to the future. I  
  
mean that is what he and Pheobe had told her. Paige had remained uncharacteristically quiet, though. Were 

they hiding something from her? It felt like it.  
  
Leo groaned again tossing slightly. "You murdered my son."   
  
He had murmured the words, but Piper could still make them out. They bounced around  
  
inside her mind for a moment before she registered what those four words truly signified. **You  
  
murdered my son**. Why would Leo say that unless...unless he wasn't just having a nightmare. He  
  
was reliving what had happened to Chris. Her dream! It was real. Suddenly all the feelings of  
  
wrongness, the forced smiles everyone kept wearing, the extra tight holds people used when  
  
holding baby Chris, they all clicked into a single picture like puzzle pieces. Her family had lied  
  
to her. She knew her son had been killed. She had felt it all along. The only reason she had  
  
pushed it into the background was because her family told her he was fine. They had **lied** to her!   
  
Each and everyone of them.   
  
Piper could feel the hot tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at Leo's still restless  
  
form. How could he do this to her? How could he lie about something like that? Chris was her  
  
son; she deserved to know the truth. Leo had no right to lie to her about his passing. And her  
  
sisters! They had even less right to do so. Chris was** hers** not theirs! They had all lied to her!   
  
Her husband's eyes shut tightly, then slowly relaxed and fluttered open. He looked up at  
  
her frowning in concern. She merely glared at him in response.   
  
"Hmm...Piper, what's wrong? Did you have another nightmare?" Leo asked yawning as  
  
he awoke.  
  
"How. The. **Hell**. Could you lie to me about this?" She wiped away the tears as she  
  
spoke. "Chris is **dead**. My son was **murdered** and you all play me for an _idiot_! Did you think I  
  
wouldn't figure it out? That I couldn't _feel_ the emptiness?"  
  
Leo bolted up right and tried to put a comforting hand on her shoulder, but Piper just  
  
slapped it away.  
  
"Don't you dare touch me!"  
  
"Piper, we just wanted to spare you the pain. Besides you were still recovering from  
  
delivering Chris, and we just wanted to make sure you were strong again before you found out."  
  
Piper swallowed shaking her head. "Get out."  
  
"Piper-"  
  
"-I said get out!"  
  
Lowering his head in guilt and pain, Leo orbed out of the hospital leaving Piper alone.  
  
She had outlived her baby. What could be worse than that? How could she deal with  
  
something like that? Granted baby Chris was alive and well, but who's to say he wouldn't grow  
  
up and have the same twisted fate? How could she watch her son grow up knowing he would die  
  
so young?   
  
Piper reached behind her grabbing her pillow. She squeezed it tightly to her chest as she felt the tears  
  
stream down her face. Soon she was sobbing and using the pillow to muffle the sound so that a  
  
worried nurse wouldn't barge in. She just wanted to be alone. No, that wasn't true. She wanted  
  
Chris. She wanted her son with her again. But that just wasn't possible. Her son was dead.

----------------------------

"Courtney, wait!" Chris reached out grabbing the young woman's arm causing her to  
  
stop dead in her tracks.  
  
"Let. Me. Go." She turned on him her light blue eyes flashing daggers. "Get your **filthy**  
  
hands off of me, Chris!"  
  
He released her, not wanting to upset her further. "Just hold on for a minute. This isn't  
  
what you think."  
  
"Oh, so you _aren't_ in love with another woman? You _didn't_ sleep with her? You just _happen_  
  
to like wearing women's perfume now?" Courtney spat sarcastically. She waved a hand in front  
  
of her nose. "God, Chris, you wreak of lavender."  
  
Chris frowned. "I am serious. We need to talk. You deserve to hear the truth."  
  
"I think I've heard all I need to, so forgive me if I don't want the sordid details." She  
  
turned to leave and again he grabbed her arm. "Damn it, would you just leave me alone! Let  
  
go!"  
  
Leo took a step forward placing a hand on his would have been daughter-in-law's  
  
shoulder. "Courtney, do you remember what I promised you? I said that no matter what  
  
happened between you and Chris, you could always count on me. I still mean that. Now, I know  
  
this hurts. It always hurts losing someone you love, but this is not entirely Chris's fault."  
  
Courtney folded her arms. "Come off it, Leo. I know he is your son and you want to  
  
believe the best, but Chris is-"  
  
"-From an alternate universe," Leo cut in.   
  
The young lady paused for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Sure. You know I have heard some  
  
pretty lame excuses, but-"  
  
"It's **true**!" Chris interrupted. "This world, the one we're in now all happy with birds  
  
singing and everything-**never existed**. My life was **hell**. Me and my fiancee, Bianca, changed it though. We 

came up with a way to go to the past and save the one person who could bring about peace. And it worked.

Only when I got back to the future, I didn't remember anything about this life. I swear I do not remember

Wyatt and Emily getting married, Peyton being born, I didn't know who Melinda was, and I had no idea who

**you** were."  
  
Courtney looked over at Leo. "Can you swear what he says is real?"  
  
"On Piper's grave, it is the truth."   
  
She spoke numbly. "Oh, my god. So, if you are this _other_ Chris, where is the man I  
  
loved and who loved me?"  
  
"Probably gone forever." Chris replied. He saw her wince and regretted having said it so  
  
casually. He took a step toward her and lifted her head with his hand. "Listen, I didn't want to  
  
hurt you, I swear, but this isn't my life. I can't pretend to love a woman I don't know."  
  
She turned away from his gaze. "This...Bianca. She's the one you were with today?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Courtney wiped away her tears. "So, she is either a slut who goes home with strangers, or  
  
the more likely option of she remembers you too."  
  
"She is a witch and before I went back to the past she cast a spell on herself to retain the  
  
memories of our other life."  
  
Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Courtney turned back to look at the man she  
  
had fallen in love with. "I suppose it would be dumb to blame you for this. I mean, I doubt you  
  
_chose_ to forget me or...Melinda. Poor Mel. She's not going to handle this well." She paused  
  
then shook her head. "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that as far as I am concerned, my fiancee  
  
is dead and you are just someone who looks and sounds exactly like him. So, you don't have to  
  
worry about me trying to come between you and your new fiancee. I won't bother you ever again for that

matter."  
  
"Courtney-" Chris started.  
  
"No, I mean it. I've known women who would actually hound men about getting back  
  
together, and I won't do that. My Chris is dead. You practically said so."  
  
Chris nodded. "You know, you can come over and see the family any time. They are all  
  
going to miss you. I wouldn't mind."  
  
"I would." Courtney shrugged as another tear fell. "Call me crazy, but I just don't think  
  
seeing you with another woman would be a whole lot of fun." She looked over to Leo. "Oh,  
  
except, I promised Mel I'd go with her for that appointment next week. Please, tell her I'm still  
  
willing if she wants me to."  
  
"Of course."  
  
Courtney let out a shaky breath. "Well, Chris, I hope you are happy with that...Bianca. It  
  
sounds like you've earned it."  
  
"You are taking this almost _too_ well." Chris stated suspiciously.  
  
"What am I supposed to do? Cry and scream about the injustice of it all? Sorry. Not my  
  
style." She smiled weakly. "I'm probably going to go home binge on chocolate and sit in front  
  
of a canvas for a few hours." She let out a deep breath before turning to Leo. "Uh, would it be  
  
possible for you to maybe orb my stuff to my studio? I really don't want to have to come back  
  
and face everyone, and I don't have any boxes or anything with me right now."  
  
"Sure."   
  
Courtney moved over to Leo and wrapped her arms around him. "Thank you, Leo. You  
  
have been so wonderful to me. You were like a father to me these past few months, and I'll  
  
never forget that." She pulled away smiling. "Mel is lucky to have you as a dad."  
  
Leo smiled sadly down at her. "Thank you."  
  
She sighed softly before heading out the door and toward her car.   
  
Courtney practically ran to her jeep. She yanked open the door and slid inside. Putting  
  
her head on the steering wheel she allowed herself a small sob. Gods above had she loved him.   
  
Now, he was gone. He was out of her life and the odds were she would never see him again. Another sob

shook through her.  
  
"Oh, my little baby's heart is broken."  
  
The woman whipped her head around to come face to face with a dark featured man  
  
dressed in black, who was seated in the back of the car. The man hadn't been there a moment ago.  
  
It was as though he had gotten into the car in a _blink of an eye_. "Father?"  
  
"Surprised? I should think so. After all you _are_ the one who vanquished me."  
  
Courtney moved to open the door and run, but his hand was on her shoulder before she  
  
could get out and the next thing she knew, she was being shimmered out of the car and straight  
  
into certain death.

TBC... ah, yes another cliffhanger. So, sorry!

barbas--wow, blush that is such a nice compliment. Thank you very much!

Lotamoxie--yeah, a lot of people didn't care for her, so I'm working on getting a little sympathy for her character. As for Chris' memories...that's the big question isn't it?

Powerful Piper--yeah they would be perfect. Well, I guess you'll just have to wait and see how Piper plays into all this!

Calen--Nope that would be the Elder's goof-up.

Orbing punk--In the next chapter Chris and Mell will meet and everyone will learn that Mel can pretty much take care of herself. Hehe.

P3charmed4eva--Leo and Piper anre going to be front and center in the next few chapters I promise.


	6. Concentrating on Chris, Memories of Meli...

Title: Love Cut Short  
Author: Zeria  
rating: Pg-13  
disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 6  
  
Piper sat, silently on the hospital bed. She had run out of tears. The woman just stared  
  
numbly at the opposite wall. She felt empty somehow. She knew in her mind that her son was  
  
still alive and well, but everything was different. In her heart she felt as though he were dead.   
  
After a long hour of trying to rationalize the fact that her baby would be fine and would have a  
  
long happy life, Piper ended up coming up with one terrifying thought repeatedly: You can't be  
  
certain of that.   
  
A male nurse came in carrying a tray of mystery meat, jell-O, and milk. He set up the  
  
attached table on the bed and gently placed the tray of food in front of her. He noticed her blank  
  
stare and smiled softly. "Is it your first?"  
  
"Huh?" Piper snapped out of it looking up at him. "What did you ask?"  
  
The man, whose name tag she read as Ben, grinned. "I was just wondering if it was your  
  
first delivery. My wife just had one a couple months ago, and I was completely blown away. I  
  
never thought I'd be able to handle being a father. I mean there are so many things that can go  
  
wrong."  
  
Piper nodded, thinking to herself how the man had absolutely **no idea** how true that was.   
  
"No, actually it's my second, but I know what you mean."  
  
Ben pursed his lips looking sympathetically. "I remember hearing about a tough delivery.   
  
That was you, wasn't it? Is that why you look so scared? You almost lost the baby?"  
  
"I don't know how to deal," she paused reconsidering her choice of words, "how I would  
  
have dealt with losing my son. He was-uh, is, is so young and I just don't know if I can protect  
  
him if Death wants to claim him."  
  
"Listen, your son is going to be fine. I'm sure he is going to grow up to be a strong,  
  
smart, good guy. Problems happen during delivery all the time, and children almost always grow  
  
up healthy. You aren't going to lose little...?"  
  
"-Chris." She smiled softly. "His name is Chris."  
  
Ben smiled widely. "You're kidding. That's what my son's name is. Now that is a sign,  
  
Ms. Halliwell. I was meant to help you realize both our boys would be just fine. As healthy as  
  
horses and as safe as any little baby could be." He got a strange look on his face for a moment  
  
then, smiled again. "You know what, I'll be right back."  
  
Piper frowned as the man dashed out of the room as excited as any little kid at Christmas.   
  
She wondered what he was up to. He seemed like such a nice man, but he couldn't understand  
  
what she was going through. Okay, granted it seemed all parents worried about their children's  
  
safety, but she had actually lost her son once already! She knew his fate and feared a repeat  
  
performance. Magic might claim Chris again.  
  
A few moments later, Ben reappeared holding a tiny blue bundle. He grinned and placed  
  
the surprise in the hospital bassinet. He then unfixed the table on the bed, moving it aside. After  
  
that he returned to the bassinet and lifted up his blanket wrapped present. Slowly and gently, he  
  
placed baby Chris in Piper's arms.   
  
"See, Ms. Halliwell. He is just fine. All of his fingers and toes are there to love and  
  
cherish. He's a perfectly healthy baby, and all he needs his is mommy's love to grow up big and  
  
strong."  
  
Piper felt a tear roll down her cheek and smiled at the fact she had any left to give to  
  
the feeling of joy she had right now. Holding baby Chris gave her hope for the future. She  
  
wouldn't give up so easily. She would love Chris and be the great mom he had claimed her to be  
  
for him. She smiled up at Ben. "Thanks for reminding me what is important. I need to focus on  
  
the present. On little Chris."  
  
"Well, I'll be back for him in half an hour. Nurse Heather would kill me if she knew I  
  
took him out of the nursery without her permission. She doesn't have kids. She just doesn't  
  
understand the need to be with them." He looked down at the baby and grinned. "Don't give  
  
your mom a hard time. She loves you a lot." With that he slipped out of the room and left  
  
mother and son alone to bond. Or so he thought.  
  
Almost as soon as the door to the room was shut, bright blue and white lights appeared  
  
forming into the other two Halliwell sisters. Phoebe looked scared. "Piper, Leo told us and we  
  
just want to say we're sorry. We just didn't want to put you through that pain."  
  
Paige nodded. "We were going to tell you eventually."  
  
"I am still mad at you two, but...I love you for wanting to protect me." Piper signaled  
  
with her head for them to come over to her. Both her sisters came running and wrapped their  
  
arms around her careful not to squish Chris.  
  
"Oh, Sweetie, everything is going to be okay. We aren't going to lose this Chris, we  
  
promise we won't let that happen again." Phoebe promised.  
  
Paige nodded in agreement. "We will do whatever it takes to help you."  
  
Piper suddenly smiled. "Actually, I have an idea..."

----------------------------------------------  
Chris turned to Leo and folded his arms over his chest. "Don't look at me like that. You  
  
know I had to do it."  
  
"No I don't. Why couldn't you just give it a little time? Just a couple of days even!"  
  
"Give it time? Leo, I have sacrificed everything for this world-my life included! All I  
  
want is just one little thing in return. One! And that is to be with Bianca, not some stranger."  
  
Leo shook his head. "But Chris, she wasn't a stranger. I saw you two together, and it  
  
was wonderful. I had never seen you happier. Besides, at least **she** didn't ever try to kill you.   
  
How do you know Bianca isn't playing you? Maybe she still is an assassin and she is using your  
  
old connection to get to you. To get to your family. How can you love someone you can't  
  
trust?"  
  
"I do trust her. You only saw one side of her, Leo. She was doing a job, and yeah, she  
  
could have killed me, but that wasn't her purpose. She was saving me from being hunted by a  
  
different assassin, one that wouldn't have wasted the time to bring me home alive. In the end she  
  
gave her life for mine. How's **that **for love?"  
  
Sighing and shaking his head, Leo backed down. "It's your life. I just hope this decision  
  
doesn't come back to bite you later on."  
  
It was at this moment a young woman, with long silky brown hair came rushing into the  
  
room, and headed straight for the freezer. Chris couldn't get a good look at her face, but by the  
  
look of her slightly bulging tummy, she was pregnant. He then concluded that the hungry woman  
  
was Melinda. His little sister.  
  
"Dad, did you get my ice cream yet?"  
  
Leo nodded. "Yeah, the cookie dough kind, right? It should be on the right. But I really  
  
don't think that is the healthiest-"  
  
"-Just a warning. I'm hormonal, uncomfortable, and unless I eat what baby wants, I throw  
  
up, so if baby wants cookie dough ice cream, I'm gonna eat the damn ice cream, ok?"  
  
Chris couldn't help but laugh. She sounded exactly the same way Piper had when she  
  
was pregnant with him. Only apparently he had made her crave jalapeños. She would have  
  
probably preferred the ice cream.  
  
Melinda turned, a pint of ice cream already pried open. She reached into a drawer  
  
grabbed a spoon and dug in. She closed her eyes. "Hmm...this is so good." After taking another  
  
couple of bites she set down the pint and spoon and turned to face her brother. "Now that baby is  
  
a little happier I can wish my favorite brother happy birthday."  
  
"Thanks." He couldn't help staring at her. She did look a lot like his mom. What was  
  
more incredible was that she acted a lot like Piper too.   
  
He apparently came off as a looking a little shocked because Melinda started to laugh.   
  
"Oh, come on. You didn't really think Wyatt was my favorite, did ya? Mr. Perfect? No way.   
  
Give me my flawed, sweet brother any day."  
  
She moved over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you so much,  
  
Chris."  
  
A bright light flashed in his mind. Images started to pour in front of his mind's eye. One  
  
slowed down enough that it played out like a movie.  
  
_Melinda as a little girl was sitting up in bed. "Chris. Chris. Chris chris chris chris!"  
  
An eleven year old version of himself orbed in looking a little rough. His hair was  
  
sticking up in every direction, his eyes were glassy, and his sleep clothes were wrinkled beyond  
  
repair. He yawned. "Yeah, Mel?"  
  
The five year old grinned and pulled out a book from under the covers. "Please? Read  
  
to me Chris. Please?"  
  
"Mel, it's late. I've got school in the morning. Plus Mom and Dad would be mad if they  
  
knew you were still up."  
  
She put on a sad face. "But I love you soooo much, Chris. You're my favoritest  
  
brother."  
  
Chris grinned. "Okay, okay, make room."  
  
Melinda scooted over on the bed so Chris could lay next to her. Once they were both  
  
comfy, he began the book and after the first page his little sister was asleep on his shoulder.  
  
_ The image faded and more images flew through his mind. Birthdays, picnics, card games  
  
they all were there. Then, the pictures slowed until another cinema played out.  
  
_A group of teenage boys was facing a sixteen year old version of him. A boy stepped out  
  
from the group and shoved Chris hard. "Come on, Halliwell, fight me. Or are you a coward?"  
  
Melinda appeared next to him. "My brother could beat you to a bloody pulp you big  
  
freak. Now move so we can go home."  
  
The ringleader smirked. "What, your little sister has to fight your battles for you,  
  
Chrissy? How pathetic."  
  
"Shut up, Jake." Chris replied stepping closer ready to beat the brat down.  
  
Melinda grabbed his arm. "You promised Dad no more fighting. He'll send you to  
  
counseling again."  
  
"Does Chrissy have to go to counseling because the little baby misses his mommy still?"   
  
Jake taunted. "Wah, wah, wah. I want my mommy."  
  
Before anyone could say a word Melinda stepped forward and punched Jake as hard as  
  
she could in the eye sending the boy sprawling backwards. "No body can talk like that to my  
  
brother."  
  
"Nice one." Chris praised.  
  
Melinda grinned gesturing toward him. "Well, I was taught by the master."  
  
_ The picture faded, more took its place. The images were going faster now, more and  
  
more memories flooding his senses. Finally another important moment played out.  
  
_Chris was sitting up in his room going over some paper work for P3 when he heard a soft  
  
knocking on his door. He looked up surprised anyone was still up at this hour. "Come in."  
  
Melinda poked her head in and slowly walked over to the bed sitting next to him. He  
  
could tell she had been crying recently. He asked her what was wrong. She turned to look at  
  
him. "I did something so stupid. Chris, I'm scared."  
  
"Hey, come on. You know I'll help you out. What is it? Get caught sneaking out again?   
  
Do you need me to talk to dad for you? You didn't get into another fight with Wy did you? You  
  
know he just worries about you." She sobbed. "Mel, hey, it's gonna be all right. Just tell me  
  
what it is. You're starting to worry me."  
  
She looked up and shook her head. "No, it isn't like that. I shouldn't have come here. I  
  
can't tell you this." She stood to leave, but he grabbed her arm.  
  
"You have always been able to tell me anything, Mel, ever since you could first talk.   
  
Whatever you did, it can't be that bad."  
  
"You're going to be so ashamed of me." She shook her head the tears flowing.  
  
Chris stood up and hugged her tightly. "No. That could never happen. Remember, you  
  
and I we don't judge each other. I swear no matter what it is I will still love you exactly the  
  
same."  
  
"Chris, I...I'm pregnant." She looked terrified that he would call her a slut or say she  
  
wasn't his sister anymore.  
  
He put his head on hers and held her closer. "I still love you exactly the same."  
  
_ A few more images floated in his mind, the final memories of his sister clicking into  
  
place. Then, there was nothing. Consciousness seeped back into him. He opened his eyes  
  
realizing he was no longer in the kitchen, and that he was actually lying up in his mother's old  
  
room. Leo was on one side of him, and Melinda on the other.  
  
"Chris!" Mel hugged him. "You're okay! Dad tried to heal you when you passed out,  
  
but nothing happened and we were both so worried. You are okay, right? No dizziness or  
  
nausea?"  
  
Chris shook his head. "No, I'm...I'm great."  
  
To his surprise she slapped him hard in the shoulder. "Don't ever scare me like that  
  
again, Chris!"  
  
"Sorry." He grinned. Then a thought struck him. "Hey, when I was out I remembered  
  
you asking what I thought would be a good name for the baby. Since it is a girl, I thought maybe  
  
Parker? It is just tomboyish enough don't you think?"  
  
"Parker?" She mulled it over. A smile crept onto her face. God, she even had Piper's  
  
smile! "I love it! It is perfect! I'm going to go tell, Emily." She hopped up and went out to hunt  
  
down her sister-in-law.  
  
Leo had caught his son's message loud and clear. "You remembered! Chris, I told you  
  
time was all you needed."  
  
"Hey, don't get too excited. I only remember moments I had with Melinda. It was like  
  
when she told me she loved me it sent me into a memory tornado. All these images just kept  
  
spinning around in my head. It was crazy."  
  
Leo sighed. "Nothing about Courtney?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
His father folded his arms. "Well, at least some of your memories are back. I'm sure the  
  
rest will return to you."  
  
From downstairs a voice boomed up. "Hey, I'm home! Mel? Dad? Chris? Em? Where  
  
is everybody?"  
  
Leo turned to his youngest. "Think you're ready to face the new improved Wyatt?"  
  
"Do I have a choice?"  
---------------------------------------------  
Courtney paced the small holding cell anxiously. She knew he was going to kill her, so  
  
why bother waiting? He had waited five years. Wasn't that long enough? She just wanted it  
  
done. Nothing like thinking about the many ways a demon could kill you to make you go  
  
completely nuts.  
  
"I'm not killing you because you have a purpose yet, my darling."  
  
She turned around to face her captor. "Oh? How?"  
  
"I want your powers."  
  
"That might be a little difficult considering I had Meshon help me strip them." She  
  
smiled smugly. At least her old powers weren't going to be available to him to steal and use for  
  
evil. She had always wondered if she had done the right thing and now she knew for certain.   
  
The dark featured man laughed. "Meshon was my servant. I hired him to manipulate you  
  
and it worked. The potion he helped you create was not to strip your powers; it was to bind  
  
them. To me. I always wanted to have my child at my side and now I will."  
  
"What are talking about. I'm not evil. I'll never help you."  
  
"You don't have a choice."   
  
He pulled out a piece of parchment and began reading in an ancient tongue. When he  
  
finished he looked up at her expecting that her powers would have been returned and that her will  
  
would be bound to him through those powers. Instead a bright gold light surrounded her and the  
  
black magic he had used bounced back into the air disappearing. Then, before he could try again  
  
bright blue and white lights surrounded her and she too vanished.  
  
When Courtney appeared in her studio she gazed down at her stomach then gazed up to  
  
yell at the elders. "You've got to be kidding me!"

TBC....

Piper&Leo4eva--You've just got to love when history repeats itself, right?

Calen--Well, that is one way to look at it. LOL

Carebear11488--Thanks! I really am trying!

Deija--Thanks!

Lotamoxie--U R just having all sorts of problems, huh? Yeah, she's a big ol' liar but maybe she had good reasons...

Barbas--Oh, good! I was going for that!

Powerful Piper--Just another mystery. As for who belongs with whom, I don't know. I'm gonna check your fic out sometime tomorrow. It sounds good.

P3charmed4eva-- Will do! Thanks!

Pepper Spray--I'm glad!

Orbing punk--Hope I can keep you excited about it!


	7. Piper's plan, Bianca busts Courtney, and...

Title: Love Cut Short  
Author: Zeria  
rating: pg-13 language sensuality  
disclaimer: I don't own them.

P3charmed4eva--I am trying to update often, but life is crazy right now, sorry.  
Calen--I'll never tell! Mwahaha!!! uh, anyway...I agree, Leo would have been the better choice, but I had my reasons.  
Lotamoxie--don't worry! There is still hope!  
PrincessStarNeko--Yeah, she is and u r right. As for her father, you'll find out now.  
DoRK47--I'm glad!  
Orbingpunk--Yeah, elders r dumb. I'm glad to hear the memories weren't hard to follow, I was worried. Thanks for letting me know!  
ChrisHcharmedfreak--Read whatever parts you like. No offense here. Leo is just worried. He'll get over it.  
Dominiquel--Whoa, please don't die. It isn't that good. LOL  
AngelQueen--Thanks!  
Chub--Thanks and yes they will find out. I'm glad you liked the twist, btw.

Chapter 7  
  
Paige frowned a little shocked as her eldest sister finished describing her plan. She  
  
wondered if maybe it was just the hormones racing through her veins that was making her sister a  
  
little crazy. Because there was no way the Piper she had grown to love and know so well would  
  
ever suggest something so...so... 'personal gain'. Paige had to admit, though, she liked it.  
  
She glanced over at Phoebe who seemed to be just as surprised by this little  
  
announcement as she was. The middle sister was sitting on Piper's left, her hand on her big  
  
sister's arm. "Honey, you know that we would do anything to help you deal with this, but don't  
  
you think this is a little risky? We don't even know where we could end up."  
  
"It would have worked!" Piper turned to Paige. "Leo told you it would have worked,  
  
right?"  
  
Phoebe glared at Paige as though demanding she lied to their sister and say that the potion  
  
they were referring to would have indeed failed. However, Paige couldn't look Piper in the eyes  
  
and lie to her. If her sister really wanted to go through with this...well, she would help her. "Leo  
  
was positive the potion would have worked. He claimed Gideon somehow stopped it, so that we  
  
would have to use his damn spell."  
  
"Even if he did, that doesn't prove it would have worked. It wasn't tested! We could end  
  
up in an alternate world or the wrong time or lost in some other plane!"  
  
Piper nodded and Phoebe let out the breath she had been holding. Obviously Piper was  
  
beginning to see how dangerous her plan was and was reconsidering. At least that's what Phoebe  
  
took it to mean. She was wrong, though. The eldest Charmed One smiled. "That's why I want  
  
to go alone."  
  
"No way." Paige shook her head. "If you go, I go too. I would never just send you  
  
through a portal alone. I doubt Pheebs would either."  
  
"Nope." Phoebe smiled softly. "I wouldn't." She sighed shaking her head. "I just don't  
  
see what good this will do you. How will traveling to the future help you move on? Help you  
  
grieve?"  
  
Piper swallowed as a tear slid down her face. "Because I will know whether my baby is  
  
destined to die on his 23rd birthday. If I see him alive and well in the future, then I'll know baby  
  
Chris isn't going to have the same fate. That maybe, his life will be the happy one I promised  
  
him. If he isn't there, then I can start working on a way to save him. Either way, I am not going  
  
to just accept his death and hope it won't happen again. I need to know."  
  
Paige glanced over at Phoebe. "I'm in."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Piper smiled. "Good. But I am still going alone, no arguments."

Her sisters frowned, but knew they weren't about to win. Piper wasn't budging.  
  
Paige sighed. "What are we going to tell Leo?"  
  
"Exactly what he told me," Piper replied bitterly, "nothing."  
2222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222

As Chris made his way down the stairs he felt a lump forming in his throat. He wondered  
  
what this Wyatt would be like. He obviously had changed; he was good now. A doctor even!   
  
Still, it would be hard not to see the Wyatt he grew up with when he met this new improved  
  
version. Would he be able to forget all the pain his brother had inflicted on him throughout the  
  
years? Could he play along in this fantasy land? He had always wanted Wyatt to be a real  
  
brother to him. One he could care about. Who cared about him. Still...all the pain was so fresh.  
  
"Chris! Happy birthday little brother!"  
  
Chris's head jerked up as he heard that all too familiar voice. He took in the changes in  
  
just the physical appearance of his older brother. The hair was a bit shorter and a lot neater. His  
  
clothes were casual... and a lot brighter than Chris remembered his Wyatt ever wearing. It was  
  
the eyes that really struck Chris though. Those eyes that had always looked down on him with  
  
contempt...they were so full of light...and love?   
  
Before he could even say something back to Wyatt, Chris found himself wrapped up in  
  
his brother's embrace. It was awkward to say the least. He had never in his life been hugged by  
  
the all mighty 'Twice Blessed'. He wasn't exactly sure what to do at first. He slowly, reluctantly  
  
returned the embrace with a couple tentative pats on Wyatt's back.  
  
His brother suddenly jerked away his face held the appearance of someone who had just been  
  
slapped. Suddenly his breathing was quicker and his eyes a bit wider. Wyatt began shaking his  
  
head. "What...that never happened! I would never...oh my god."  
  
"Wyatt?" Leo asked concerned. He had a hunch about what had just happened, but  
  
wasn't certain. Odds were his son the all powerful one had just received a premonition off of  
  
Chris. Sometimes all those powers could really be a curse. Like now.  
  
Wyatt just stared at Chris in shock. "I never would hurt you like that. Never. So, why  
  
the hell did I just see what I saw?"  
  
"What did you see?" Chris asked a little worried Leo would find out about one of the  
  
more painful of his memories. The last thing he wanted was his father hovering over him.   
  
Actually he just wanted to be alone. Well, alone with Bianca.  
  
"A woman. And you. I was using telekinesis to choke you. She stopped me, but only for  
  
a minute. I...I killed her and I tried to kill you." Wyatt closed his eyes. "That never happened. I  
  
would **never** kill an innocent. I hate death. Besides, you're my brother. I would never,** ever** hurt  
  
you." Turning to Leo, "why would I get a vision of that? It would never come to pass. What  
  
was it?"  
  
Chris and Leo shared a look. The father nodded, the son sighed. Chris took a step  
  
forward. "I am not exactly the brother you grew up with. In fact, that was** my** world you got a  
  
vision of. Long story short, I grew up in a world where you had been psychologically screwed up  
  
and were ruler of all evil. I went to the past to save you. It worked. Problem is I died. The  
  
elders didn't know what to do because of the whole paradox of me being born and everything  
  
being different, so they sent my memories into your Chris. Apparently they intended for me to  
  
remember both lives only, as usual they messed up and I don't. I remember the other world."  
  
Wyatt stared dumbfounded.  
  
"I'm afraid it is true." Leo moved to comfort his eldest. "Twenty three years ago, I  
  
remember this Chris coming back. He actually died in my arms. I've been waiting for some sign  
  
that he didn't actually disappear for good. That his noble actions weren't going to be rewarded  
  
with an athame in the gut, but rather a taste of the life he helped change."  
  
Wyatt nodded slowly. "So, you are from an alternate reality where I was evil, you went  
  
back to the past and changed everything, only now you don't remember the changes that  
  
occurred? Is that about it?"  
  
Chris nodded feeling almost guilty for being responsible for the sadness carved into his  
  
brother's face. "Yeah, pretty much."  
  
"Okay, so instead of playing basketball at 3 a.m. our brotherly bonding consisted of me  
  
magically abusing you?"  
  
Chris sighed. "It wasn't always that bad. When you thought I agreed with you, you  
  
actually were pretty decent to me. It was when I shot off my mouth I got into trouble."  
  
"So, pretty much all the time?"  
  
"How'd you know?" Chris grinned.  
  
Wyatt offered a small smile in return. "Guess some things never change."  
  
An awkward pause ensued. No one was quite sure what to say. Especially Chris. He had  
  
been hoping to just sit the whole family down at once and let them all have it. This telling  
  
everyone separately was killing him. The hurt looks, the ever present question of 'where is our  
  
Chris?' Like he didn't feel like an outsider already. At least Wyatt hadn't asked the question out  
  
loud.  
  
"So, where is the brother I grew up with?"  
  
Damn. Chris rolled his eyes and muttered. "Sure is nice to be loved."  
  
"Well, they have the same spirit, just different sets of memories which shape some of the  
  
characteristics. This Chris is our Chris. He just had a tougher life and is a little more rough  
  
around the edges. A lot more secretive and a lot less trusting." Leo supplied.  
  
Chris frowned. "Gee, thanks for the great compliments, Dad."

Leo merely shrugged in response. It was true.  
  
"Who else knows?"  
  
"Courtney."  
  
"Wait, you don't remember her either, do you?" Wyatt shook his head numbly. "She's  
  
gotta be devastated. The love of her life doesn't remember her. The wedding. Oh, great. What  
  
are you going to do? You have to post-pone it. I mean you can't very well marry a woman you  
  
don't remember."  
  
"I'm not going to get married at all." Chris snapped. He was tired of everyone making  
  
him feel guilty about everything. It wasn't his fault he couldn't remember. Besides, everyone  
  
owed him for making the happy little, birds singing, sunny all the time world they were enjoying.   
  
Why couldn't he enjoy it too? Why did everyone have to make him feel even worse than he  
  
already did? "Well, at least not to Courtney. Bianca on the other hand..."  
  
Wyatt frowned. "Wait. She was the woman from the vision. She was your fiancee  
  
wasn't she? Oh, no. You're in love with her still. This is bad. This is very, very bad. You are  
  
engaged to Courtney."  
  
"Not anymore." Chris replied off-handedly.  
  
"What did you do?" Wyatt accused.  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. "You just don't get it, do you? I sacrificed everything to make this  
  
world a better place. To save your sorry ass and all you can do" he turned to glare at Leo, "all  
  
either of you can do is make me feel guilty about the choices I've made since waking up an  
  
amnesiac? You know what? You can both go to hell!"  
  
He turned then, deciding to just forget about everyone. He didn't need them. He never  
  
had. All he needed was to be with Bianca and all this garbage would seem so insignificant. He  
  
just wanted her. Was that so terrible? Sure it hurt a seemingly nice girl, but that really isn't his  
  
problem. He wasn't the one who proposed. As everyone so nicely put it, it was the 'other'  
  
Chris.  
  
"Chris."  
  
Chris turned to come face to face with the one person he actually wanted to see. "Bianca?   
  
What are you doing here?"  
  
Leo and Wyatt walked into the kitchen hoping to catch up to Chris before he left. They  
  
both stood a little shocked at the sight of Bianca shimmering in. Wyatt kept seeing her impaled  
  
on a broken table leg, and Leo kept seeing an image of Chris lying on the sofa unconscious,  
  
seemingly dying because of her.  
  
Bianca bristled slightly at the sight of Wyatt. Chris merely touched her arm lightly and  
  
she relaxed again. She then turned to Leo. "Good to see you again, Leo."  
  
Leo for his part remained silent. He still didn't trust her. She had almost killed his son!  
  
The woman nodded. "Okay, then." She returned her gaze to Chris. "We need to talk. I  
  
was in the underworld talking to some of the old contacts about a certain case I'm working on  
  
that has demonic influence written all over it. That's when I heard about your little girlfriend."  
  
"She's not-"  
  
"-She's a demon."  
  
Chris lifted both eyebrows in shock. "No, I mean that's ridiculous. She freaked out when  
  
she saw me orb. She doesn't know a thing about magic."  
  
"It was an act, Chris. I know what I heard was the truth. Firstly, the information was  
  
overheard and I know for a fact they didn't know I was listening. It wasn't planted. She really is  
  
a demon."  
  
Wyatt cut in. "Listen, whoever you are, you don't know Courtney. She is sweet and  
  
loyal and a _mortal_! No way in hell she could ever be a demon. I would have sensed the evil. I  
  
never once felt a threat from her."  
  
"That's why I'm here." Bianca replied glaring at Wyatt. "If the all mighty 'Twice  
  
Blessed' can't see through her that means she is packing some pretty impressive power. There is  
  
no knowing what her capabilities are. Besides, if she has everyone believing she is a really nice  
  
person, the guard will be down. She's in. Chris, her plan might have been to seduce you to get  
  
into the manor and steal the book or to capture the manor and turn the nexus. Maybe she wants  
  
to take out Wyatt when he's asleep-"  
  
"-Or maybe she was just truly in love with Chris and wanted to spend the rest of her life  
  
with him?" Wyatt countered. "My brother was no fool. He would have known if someone was  
  
playing him. Courtney is **not** a demon. You on the other hand? You shimmered. I saw it."  
  
Chris stepped in between the two his hands raised to call a truce. "Hey, both of you  
  
enough! Firstly, Bianca was a pheonix which is why she shimmered. She is a good witch now,  
  
so back off. Secondly, Bianca, if she is a demon why didn't she already make her move?"  
  
"Maybe there is a plan none of us can imagine? Something on a larger scale? Either  
  
way, I am not just going to sit at home twiddling my fingers while this demon plays fiancee to  
  
**my** fiancee."  
  
Wyatt frowned. "Whoa, whoa, hold on. I just realized this, but you remember the other  
  
world too don't you? I mean, that is why you referred to my brother as your fiancee?"  
  
"Yes. I remember." Bianca's glare deepened. "I remember all the innocents you hurt.   
  
All the pain you inflicted on your own brother."  
  
Chris grabbed her gently. "Hey, he isn't that Wyatt. Let it go. You weren't exactly  
  
squeaky clean either. This is a new improved world, right?"  
  
She turned her head away. "Yeah."  
  
"Now, what exactly did you hear about Courtney?"  
  
"A new player is in town. A demon named Belthan. Upper level with unknown powers.  
  
Her father. They seemed to think it was his idea she get close to Chris. Best of all, rumor has it he is the half-

brother of the great Belthazor, alias Cole Turner. If that is true, she could want revenge for her uncle's vanquish."  
  
Leo frowned as he realized something he rather he hadn't. Those amazing blue eyes of  
  
Courtney's...they had always seemed so familiar. Now he knew why. They were exactly like  
  
Cole's.  
3333333333333333333333333333333333333  
As Piper stepped out of the portal and into the future she noticed a strawberry-blonde  
  
haired woman at the book of shadows. The woman turned noticing the large blue portal that had  
  
formed to her right. Her blue eyes grew wide as she set eyes on Piper.   
  
Piper knew what this meant. "Great. I still die young."  
  
"While it is very nice to meet you, I don't have time for this." Courtney grabbed the book  
  
of shadows holding it closely. Within seconds orbs formed and she was gone. And so was the  
  
family heirloom.  
  
A voice could be heard in the distance. "Emily, I know he is probably fine, but I just  
  
want to check the book to make sure. I'll be worried about him until I do. It isn't like Chris just  
  
passes out all the time. Besides, since when does he not heal?"  
  
Piper could tell the voice was getting closer and looked around for somewhere to hide.   
  
She was here to observe not interfere. All she wanted to know was that her sons were okay.   
  
After that she would use the rest of the potion to get back home.  
  
The attic door opened before Piper could make it behind the couch. A young girl,  
  
seemingly about six months pregnant walked in. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw  
  
Piper. "Mom?"

TBC....hopefully quicker than this one got up. Sorry about that!


	8. Mel's slight meltdown and Chris' shockin...

Disclaimer: I make no $. I own nothing. Not even the spell used.

Dominiquel--Maybe Piper can help...just wait and see. ;)  
PiperLeo4eva--I just couldn't resist them meeting. It's not going to be what you expect though.  
ChrisHCharmedFreak--I will try to keep posting ASAP  
CaliforniaChick--Glad u r into it.  
Calen--Maybe, maybe not. You'll have to wait and see...  
P3charmed4eva--sometimes I feel like I go on and on. :)  
AngelQueen2002--hey my goal is to keep people guessing!   
DoRK47--Thanks, that's always nice to hear.   
  
Chapter 8  
  
For a moment all Piper could do was stare dumbly at the young woman who had only  
  
seconds ago called her mom. Chris had never said anything about having a little sister. Besides  
  
he had almost ruined his own conception, she doubted he would jeopardize his sister's too. Still,  
  
she was so familiar. The long brown hair, the deep chocolate brown eyes. Even the voice. But  
  
her daughter? Was it possible? Melinda? The little girl she never thought she would have?  
  
"H-how?" Mel took a shaky breath. "You...you can't be." She instinctively backed  
  
away in fear, thinking Piper was actually a demon with the ability to glamour. She opened her  
  
mouth to scream, but was cut off by Piper.  
  
Once the eldest Charmed One regained her senses, Piper held up her hands defensively.   
  
"Whoa, whoa! Hold on there. I know this must be confusing. Maybe you think it's a trick or  
  
something, but I am Piper Halliwell. I'm from the past. Please, just don't scream. I didn't want  
  
anyone to know I was here."  
  
Melinda had only been eight when her mother died. Sometimes the images in her mind  
  
were fuzzy and she worried the memories would fade and she would never remember the sound  
  
of her mom's voice, or the smell of her perfume. Right now, she was being bombarded with all  
  
the memories of Piper she had. She remembered being tucked into bed at night, how her mom  
  
braided her hair in the morning, she remembered the times she and her mom baked cookies, even  
  
the arguments when she and her mom would team up against the boys about what movie to  
  
watch. She remembered things she had thought lost forever. And in her hormonal state all she  
  
could do was cry.  
  
Piper instantly was at her side. This was her Melinda, she knew it was. Her baby needed  
  
her, and she was going to comfort her the best she could. She held her daughter close massaging  
  
her back gently. "Shh...it's okay. I know this must be hard. I'm sorry. I am so sorry." Before  
  
she knew it, Piper was in tears too.  
  
She had always been afraid of abandoning her children, and in the end she did. She died  
  
early just like her own mother had, and now her children were going through who knows what  
  
kind of troubles and she wasn't there for them. Melinda was going to be a teenage mother! She  
  
needed guidance, the kind a mother can give. The fact Piper was not alive to help her kids  
  
was what caused the tears to fall.  
  
After a moment, Melinda pulled away. She wiped away her tears and shook her head in  
  
confusion. "The past? W-why are you here?"  
  
"Uh," Piper's mind raced for something she could say that wouldn't cause too much  
  
alarm. "Pheobe had a premonition, and it told her I wasn't around anymore, and well, I thought  
  
maybe you guys might need me?" It sounded lame even to her. She just kept smiling though.  
  
Mel frowned but didn't question the answer. Instead she turned away. "Just so you  
  
know, we are all okay. Wy and Chris took it harder than me; I was pretty little. I still didn't  
  
get the whole death thing yet. It hurts more now. Seeing you is both a miracle and a curse.   
  
Mostly because I know you can't stay."  
  
Piper moved to her side again. This time Mel did not accept it though. She shook her  
  
head. "I've gotten used to not having a mother. The guys are so wonderful to me. I have never  
  
had a reason to complain. Until now. Seeing you makes me remember all the things I loved  
  
about you. I don't want to remember! I want to block it out so that when you are gone in a few  
  
hours I won't have to mourn for you a second time." With that Mel ran from the room, leaving  
  
one pained Piper behind her.  
  
Courtney thumbed through the book of Shadows as quickly as she could looking for any  
  
spell that could counter act the black magic her father was intending to use on her. She needed a  
  
way to get her powers back using white magic so she could defend herself and the baby without  
  
falling into his trap. She knew she didn't have much time either. The Halliwells probably knew  
  
the book was gone by now, and would be coming after her for it any second. Plus her father was  
  
already searching for her and however many of his minions too. She couldn't let them get her. If  
  
he got to her before she could find the right spell, he would poison her magical energy. She  
  
would not let that happen!  
  
A spell had to exist in the Charmed One's Book of Shadows that would restore her  
  
powers. She had figured out the only way her father could control her was if he used that dark  
  
spell combined with the potion she had taken all those years ago when she had thought she was  
  
stripping her powers. The combination was supposed to bind her magic, even her will, to her  
  
father. If she used a white magic spell to get her powers, he couldn't force her hand anymore.  
  
The baby. Would her demonic powers influence or harm the child currently growing  
  
inside her? It was obvious the baby was taking after its father for now. That was good. If she  
  
was going to have a magical baby, she wanted it to be white magic. Would calling back her  
  
powers change the baby's magical energy? She didn't want to risk tainting her own baby. Still,  
  
if her father got to her first, she and the baby would be defenseless.  
  
A horrible thought occurred to her. What if her father found out about the pregnancy? If  
  
he knew she was carrying a child of a Halliwell he would tell his allies and more demons would  
  
be after them than already were. He would want to use the child for leverage against the  
  
Charmed family, or...raise the child as a demon. The Halliwells were the all powerful ones  
  
raising one of them to be evil would be so like her father. She couldn't, no, **would not** let them  
  
take her child. She would die first. That would involve fighting back, and in order to do that she  
  
had to get her powers restored.  
  
She turned a few more pages and finally found a spell she thought would work. She  
  
glanced down at her stomach. "Okay, just to fill you in, yes, mommy is a demon, well half  
  
anyway. That means her magic is dark, and well, just know that I love you and that I want you to  
  
keep holding on to all that light energy your daddy passed on to you. I'm doing this for us, Little  
  
One."  
  
Holding up the book she took a deep breath. "Well, here goes everything." She began  
  
reading the spell. "Powers of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies. Come to me who  
  
calls you near, come to me and settle here."  
  
Well, she certainly didn't feel any differently. None of the demonic cravings she used to  
  
have. No anger, no greed, no all consuming need for violence. She felt rather calm. Maybe the  
  
spell didn't work. Why though? It was a Charmed spell, it should've. That's when she noticed  
  
the golden light around her mid-section. It was the same that had surrounded her when her father  
  
had tried to turn her.  
  
"Hmm...?" She frowned. "You little...well, I guess I don't have to worry about anyone  
  
tainting you. You've got some weird anti-black magic shield or something. I can't believe my  
  
baby is blocking my powers because they're demonic." She sighed and looked down at her tummy  
  
again. "Listen, you, you're part demon too. Don't go judging me. I was trying to protect us.   
  
Now whose going to save us, huh?"  
  
As if in response the familiar orbs surrounded her and Courtney found herself  
  
transported, the Book of Shadows still in hand, to Halliwell Manor. Not only was she in the  
  
manor, but the baby apparently knew who daddy was because she wound up right in front of  
  
Chris. Needless to say, everyone in the room was a little surprised to see her.  
  
"_Courtney_?" Leo and Wyatt exclaimed simultaneously.  
  
Bianca was the first to notice the book. "I told you! Look! She stole the book right out  
  
from under your nose, Wyatt!"  
  
Chris frowned. "Those were orbs. Demons don't orb."  
  
"How did you...?" Courtney paused noticing Bianca standing a little too close to Chris for  
  
her likes. "Wait. Who are you?"  
  
"Chris' **real **fiancee." Bianca glared at her. "If you think you can hurt him you are dead  
  
wrong. I'll vanquish you myself before you can do anymore damage. **_Demon_**."  
  
Leo moved a little closer to Courtney, concern written on his face. "It is true, then? You  
  
are Belthazor's niece?"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, but Uncle Cole and I were never really close. He and Dad were  
  
enemies. My dad was a full blood demon and both envied Belthazor for his ability to blend into  
  
the mortal world, and reviled him for his emotions. He considered him weak in that regard.  
  
When he found out about Pheobe, my dad's head nearly exploded. He felt disgraced. It gave me  
  
hope for my own mortal soul, though. See, dad thought he could raise a half and half to be the assassin  
  
Belthazor was, but with none of the risk of emotions. He even cast spells to make sure I couldn't  
  
feel anything unless I summoned those feelings for a mission. What he didn't count on was the  
  
fact I liked feeling human."  
  
Wyatt shot Bianca a triumphant look. "See _half_ demon. That means she is half _human_  
  
and that proves she isn't the evil you thought she was! That she was really in love with Chris."  
  
"Cole was half human and half demon and he killed hundreds of innocents." Bianca  
  
countered. She grinned maliciously. "Plus you are half mortal half whitelighter and you were  
  
**ruler of all evil**. Guess your little theory doesn't really pan out all that well, huh?"  
  
Chris wasn't listening or he would have defended his brother again. Instead he kept  
  
staring ahead with a confused and worried look on his face. "She orbed. Did no one else see  
  
that?"  
  
Leo was also slightly lost in his thoughts. He cared about this girl and wanted to trust  
  
what she said. But he had made that mistake before. He had liked Cole once upon a time. He  
  
wanted to believe the human half would win out in the end and that Cole really would become  
  
part of the family. He had wanted to be friends with Cole, but everything ended up so messed up  
  
in the end. So, could he trust her? Why did she take the book? He posed the question aloud.  
  
"I needed a spell that would stop my father from manipulating my magic. Please, Leo,  
  
you know I would never hurt anyone. I love this family. I feel like it is mine. I'm begging you,  
  
Leo, just trust what you know in your heart. Follow the advice you so often give."  
  
Meanwhile, Bianca and Wyatt were still sniping at eachother.  
  
"I am not that person! You and my brother changed all that. I have never once hurt a  
  
single living creature. You have no right to judge me based on a life I never lived!"  
  
"You murdered me. I think I do have the right." Bianca shook her head.   
  
"Nothing you can say will convince me I shouldn't."  
  
Wyatt just frowned. "Fine. Don't believe that your sacrifices paid off. Remain bitter and  
  
fearful. Just know that I wouldn't hurt anyone my brother cared about. As much as I hate to say  
  
this, but he seems to care about you. A lot. Too much for his own good if you ask me."  
  
"Good thing no one is asking then."  
  
Chris shook his head. "I didn't just imagine it right? I mean I haven't completely lost it.   
  
But whitelighters and their progeny are the only...ones...who...oh no." He jerked his head to the  
  
right to look at Courtney. She was still deep in conversation with his dad.   
  
Suddenly a talk he had with his mom popped into his head. She was asking about a  
  
force-field. Said she had one when she was pregnant with Wyatt. Where was the one for Chris?   
  
He hadn't had one. Wyatt was just stronger and his powers came out from the womb. So, if  
  
Courtney wasn't doing the orbing, then... "You're pregnant?!?"  
  
All speech abruptly ended. All eyes went immediately to Courtney. She paled drastically  
  
and her eyes became wider with each passing moment. She struggled to find words to explain.   
  
"Well, uh..."  
  
"**_Pipe_r**?"   
  
Now it was Leo's turn to get stared at. He didn't notice though. He was too focused on  
  
the new figure at the entrance to the kitchen. He slowly moved his way through the crowded  
  
room to where his wife from 23 years in the past was standing shocked at having heard several  
  
confusing conversations and one incredible outburst. Before she could even open her mouth to  
  
say anything, Leo had her in his arms and was kissing her with nine years worth passion.  
  
Courtney used the distraction to slip out unnoticed.

TBC....


	9. Mushy Moments in the Manor

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Make $0.

Sorry this is so short, and that is took so long to get up. I've had the flu for the last few days. Also, thanks for all the reviews. You are all so awesome for responding. The reviews help motivate me which in turn helps me get new chappies up faster. :)  
  
Chapter 9  
  
As Leo slowly released Piper from his embrace, he began to redden. He knew very well  
  
that back in the past she was unbelievably angry with him. They weren't even together  
  
again...yet. Kissing her could have very well sentenced him to an immediate case of being-  
  
blown- up- by- someone -who- hates- you- at- this- particular- moment syndrome. He braced  
  
himself for it. He hadn't been blown up for nine years, but he could still remember how it felt all  
  
too well.  
  
Instead of being angry Piper smiled blushing slightly. "Wow, Leo."  
  
"Nicely done, Dad." Wyatt commented chuckling. He had never really seen his father as  
  
a smooth, romantic type of guy and just couldn't help but tease him. "Guess Chris isn't the only  
  
Romeo in the house."  
  
Bianca didn't want to laugh at anything Wyatt said, but she couldn't help but crack a grin  
  
at that considering the mess she was in because of the oh so charming Chris Halliwell. She  
  
attempted to hide her smile behind a hand. She didn't want him to think she was weak. That  
  
could lead to...bad stuff happening. Even she knew she was giving this new improved Wyatt the  
  
raw deal. She just couldn't help it. In that other life, he had hurt Chris time and time again. She  
  
had just wanted to kill him, but Chris insisted he could be saved. Then, Wyatt killed her. She  
  
wasn't sure what happened after that. Her fiancee must have been right, though. Otherwise none  
  
of them would be here.  
  
Wyatt noticed the grin before she could cover her mouth with her hand. "See, evil people  
  
do not normally crack funny jokes. I do. Therefore I am not evil."  
  
"Oh, give it a rest."  
  
"You first."  
  
"You."  
  
Piper looked to Leo who sighed in defeat and began rubbing one of his temples. How  
  
long had they been at it? She wasn't willing to find out how much longer it would continue.   
  
"Hey! Both of you can give it a rest! I did not travel all the way to the future just to hear you  
  
two bicker."  
  
Bianca and Wyatt simultaneously lowered their heads.   
  
Piper then smiled gently. "Wyatt?"  
  
"Mom?" He smiled shyly reminding her very much of a little boy. He moved to her  
  
quickly wrapping her in a strong embrace. She could feel a tear hit her on the top of her head as  
  
he held her. When he spoke it was slightly muffled by her hair. "I've missed you so much,  
  
Mom. Dad said we'd see you again, though. I've waited for this moment because of that  
  
promise."  
  
Bianca ran her hands through her hair fixing it the best she could. Then she smoothed out  
  
the green blouse she was wearing. This was the first...no, oh no. This wasn't the first time she  
  
was meeting Piper! Last time they met she had poisoned Chris and had held an athame to the  
  
woman's throat. She was so screwed! Leo hated her, she could see it in his eyes, and Wyatt was  
  
rooting for that Courtney. Courtney....she was what!?!   
  
Just as Bianca was about to ask Chris if he was serious Piper and Wyatt separated and she  
  
heard a less than friendly voice speaking to her. "**You**. What are _you_ doing here?"  
  
"Uh," she smiled insecurely. "Well, I'm with Chris." She swallowed. "I know this  
  
doesn't make up for anything, but I didn't want anything to happen to Chris. I just thought I was  
  
bringing him home. As for what I did to you...I am deeply sorry. I would have never hurt you  
  
though."  
  
Piper just frowned.   
  
Leo touched her arm lightly. "Honey, your sisters knew about this trip to the future.   
  
They have been looking forward to seeing you again. They should be home any second."  
  
"They can wait." Piper moved to Chris who had been staring at his feet for the last five  
  
minutes. She lifted his head with her hand and smiled as she saw his sweet green eyes looking  
  
back at her. She felt the tears forming, but would not let them fall yet. "What? I don't even  
  
warrant a hello?" She wondered if this Chris knew anything about an Evil Wyatt or coming back  
  
to the past. He must know; Bianca seemed to remember.  
  
Chris forced a smile to his face. "Hey, how's mini-me doing?"  
  
"Chris, you do remember." She threw her arms around his neck holding her youngest tightly.   
  
She had been so worried that the Chris they had known would never exist in the same way, but  
  
he was here, in the future. A happy one by the looks of it.  
  
Wyatt suddenly paled. "Mom...you knew about this other world? Where I was..." He  
  
couldn't bring himself to say it. His own mother knew he had been evil, yet for all those years  
  
she had never said a word.   
  
Leo knew that Piper and Chris needed a moment. "Uh, why don't you two come into the  
  
conservatory and the three of us will work out some of the anger issues."  
  
Wyatt shrugged and headed toward the said location. Bianca lingered a moment  
  
watching the mother and son interact. Piper would shed a tear, Chris would so very gently wipe  
  
it away with his thumb. She would say something he would nod or chuckle. He would smile and  
  
another tear would fall from her. It was beautiful. She understood why Leo didn't want it  
  
broken up. So, even though the last thing she wanted was to talk out her feelings about Wyatt,  
  
she left anyway.  
  
Once they were alone, Chris shook his head. "I can't believe you did this. I mean, what  
  
about the sisters and Leo? Wyatt and me? Er..baby me? Besides, aren't you supposed to be  
  
recovering? I heard it was a tough delivery."  
  
"Leo healed most of the pain the first chance he got, and they can all survive a few hours  
  
without me. The son who gave up his life for us comes first." She noticed him flinch. She  
  
hugged him again, this time a little tighter. "I am so sorry, Chris. If there was a way to change  
  
what you went through I'd do it in a heartbeat."  
  
Chris pulled away abruptly. He shook his head. "You don't get it, Mom. I'm still going  
  
through it. I remembered what happened, but the problem is that is all I remember. I don't  
  
remember this life, and now, everything is just so messed up." He turned away, not wanting his  
  
mother to see the pain. She had always been able to read his face when no one else could. So, he  
  
wouldn't show his face to her.  
  
Piper shook her head. "What do you mean? Don't you have both sets of memories? I  
  
mean that was what you told me you thought might happen when you came back."  
  
"It didn't happen. Our lovely local elders made the biggest mistake of their careers. They  
  
brought forth my old memories while accidently losing my newest set." Chris clenched his fists.   
  
"First one of them kills me and now they have ruined the life I just got back."  
  
"Maybe you ought to start at the beginning because I'm a little lost. I mean, what exactly  
  
don't you remember?"  
  
Chris let out a short bitter laugh. "I don't remember this Wyatt, or his wedding, or the  
  
birth of my niece and up until lunch I had no memory of my little sister-"  
  
"-Melinda?" Piper frowned. "So, she didn't exist in the world you came from?"  
  
"No." Chris shook his head as his eyes began to brim with tears he would never let fall.   
  
"Best of all I don't remember the woman I was supposed to marry. The woman that I just  
  
discovered is **carry my child**. Mind you, a child I don't remember helping to conceive either!   
  
God, Mom, what the hell am I supposed to do? I am in love with Bianca not this other woman. I  
  
**remember** Bianca! And even if I do get memories of Courtney-"  
  
"The woman carry your baby?" Piper asked trying to keep up.  
  
"Yeah, even if I do remember her, I'm still going to remember Bianca, still going to love  
  
her. But I can't just abandon Courtney either. I was just telling dad earlier how I hate guys that  
  
do that to women. I will not become one of those guys, Mom. Not like the Leo from my world.   
  
He abandoned you and me and Wyatt. I hated him for so long, Mom. I don't want my kid hating  
  
me like I used to hate Leo. I want to be there for him or her."   
  
Piper smiled. "Good. I would expect that I would have raised my boys to be honorable  
  
men."  
  
"Mom, there is something else." He couldn't look her in the eyes for fear of the shame  
  
he'd see there. "She is Cole's niece. The mother of my child is the relative of the demon that  
  
almost destroyed our family."  
  
"Oh, wow. You really are having a bad day, huh?"  
  
Chris frowned at her.   
  
She smiled innocently raising her hands defensively. "What? I'm just trying to lighten the  
  
mood." She became slightly more somber and touched his cheek with her hand. "Listen, Chris, I  
  
don't know this Courtney, but I have a feeling that if the other you fell in love with her than she  
  
can't be evil. Cole wasn't completely incapable of being saved until he was taken over by the  
  
source. He was even a pretty nice guy when he wanted to be. There were times when I even  
  
liked him being around. So she might have good in her too. Don't judge her based on something she can't

help. Remember, you don't know the whole story. As far as the rest goes, I know you will do what is best for

everyone involved. That's who you are, Chris."  
  
Chris nodded and took her hand from his cheek and squeezed it gently for support. "I've  
  
missed your advice. It was always the best anyone could have ever given."  
  
"Better than 'Ask Pheobe'?" Piper said grinning.  
  
Chris grinned back. "Way better."  
  
Mother and son hugged again, holding each other close for quite awhile before reluctantly  
  
parting. They had both suffered losing the other to a death, and now that they had each other  
  
back they were both very unwilling to let the moment go for fear they wouldn't ever have  
  
another. It was Piper who was able to make the break first. She knew she had to for his sake.  
  
"Chris, you know you have to go to her. She may be a demon or a half a demon or  
  
whatever else, but she is still pregnant and alone and if my judgment is correct based on the  
  
whole five and a half seconds I saw her, she is scared out of her mind. Talk to her. Find out  
  
what is going on. Maybe you'll learn some things about yourself in the process."  
  
The son nodded. "Told you, way better than Phoebe."  
  
Piper couldn't resist giving him another quick hug. It felt so good to rest her head against  
  
his chest and hear the strong steady heartbeat. It was proof that her baby was alive, and that was  
  
the best medicine in the world. She once again forced herself to pull away. "I love you."  
  
"I love you too, Mom."   
  
"Now, go after her." She ordered smiling. "No time to waste, kiddo."  
  
Chris nodded agreement. "Yeah, but I should talk to Bianca first. She's gotta be pretty upset  
  
about this whole mess, too. And you should prepare yourself for the big reunion. The rest of our  
  
relatives will probably be coming soon."  
  
"Don't worry, Chris. Everything will work out for the best." She smiled as one last tear  
  
fell. "You are going to be a great father."   
  
He smiled at her. "Thanks, Mom." Then, he turned reluctantly to leave her.  
  
When he entered the conservatory Chris gestured for Bianca to come over to him. She  
  
seemed all too willing to get out of the little counseling session Leo had put together. When she  
  
reached him she frowned noticing the look in his eyes. She knew he had bad news. "It's true,  
  
isn't it? She's carrying your child?"  
  
"Yeah."   
  
Bianca swallowed nodding. Tears threatened to fall. "So, where does that leave us?"  
  
"Same place as before." Chris reached out to touch her cheek. "Listen, I will be a part of  
  
the baby's life, but I still love you, and my plan is to still be with you. Courtney is going to have  
  
to be a factor in our lives because she is the mother of my child, but she will never be more than  
  
that to me."  
  
"She's a demon, Chris. Belthazor's niece. What about that?"   
  
Chris nodded. "Yeah, I know, and that's why I have to go to her. I have to hear her side  
  
of things. I need to talk to her about the baby and everything else."  
  
"I see." Bianca looked less than thrilled with this idea.  
  
"You know I have to do this. I swear I'll be back before too long. Than, I can introduce  
  
you to the rest of the family." He grinned. "Your family too soon." Then he kissed her, using  
  
the passion he felt for her to lock his promise of their being together.  
  
When they parted, Bianca smiled softly. "God, I have missed that." She lowered her  
  
head then, as her thoughts returned to the business at hand. "I guess I'll wait here for you. But  
  
just so we're clear on this, I don't trust her."  
  
"You don't trust anyone." He pointed out.  
  
"That's not true. I trust you."  
  
Chris gave her another quick kiss. "I'll be back as soon as this is straightened out."   
  
Then, he orbed out to find Courtney.  
  
Bianca hadn't noticed Wyatt come up behind her. "I don't know you, but I can tell you  
  
really love him, and so...whatever happens I will do my best to be supportive. I mean, I want  
  
what is best for Chris too. If that is you, then I am willing to put aside our differences."  
  
"You really are a different Wyatt, you know that." She replied absently.  
  
Wyatt grinned. "That is what I've been trying to tell you!" He shook his head. "Come  
  
on, I'll introduce you to my wife. I think you'll get along great with Emily. She doesn't always like me  
  
either."

TBC...

Kind of a filler chapter I know, but the next one will be quite exciting. Demons attack. Fun!


	10. Courtney's Past

Disclaimer: still don't own anything. The part about the baby's powers is taken from when it happened to Piper. I just thought that was funny, so I used it.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
It hadn't taken long for Chris to find Courtney. She had been easy to sense for some  
  
reason. Maybe it was because she was carrying his child? He didn't know. All he knew was  
  
that where he found her wasn't where he had expected to find her. For some reason he thought  
  
maybe she was going to hide in some cave in the underworld. He never expected to orb into the middle of the

countryside next to a sparkling lake. That was where she had chosen to find solace though.  
  
She was sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest on the wet sand. Her shoes and  
  
socks were next to her as her bare feet stuck into the water just enough to get a little wet while  
  
the rest of her stayed dry. Her head was up, seemingly looking for something out over the water.   
  
She didn't turn her head when she heard the familiar sound of orbs. "What do you want?"  
  
"Just to talk. I think I deserve that much. You are pregnant with my baby, right?"  
  
Courtney didn't respond. She merely sighed and hugged her knees tighter.  
  
Chris moved to stand next to her. He looked down at her and realized that his mother had  
  
been right. She wasn't some evil demon come to cause the demise of his family. She was just a  
  
girl in this moment, a scared girl who didn't know which way was up. She looked so lost and  
  
afraid. The look of hopelessness in her eyes could not be faked.  
  
Without thinking, he sat down next to her. He turned his head to face the side of her face.   
  
She still wouldn't look at him. He frowned. "I'm trying here. I really am. Please, just tell me  
  
what is going on."  
  
"What do you want to know?" Even her voice was numb.  
  
Chris shrugged. "I don't know. How about who you are. The truth."  
  
"Thought your** real** fiancee settled that one. I'm a half-demon. Niece of the infamous  
  
Belthazor. I murder innocents, kill witches, _hell_, I even eat babies and puppies just for fun. Is  
  
that what you want to hear?"  
  
"No." Chris could hear the hurt in her voice. "I said I want the truth. That wasn't it.   
  
That was you being sarcastic and angry." He touched her hand lightly. "I want to help. I can't  
  
do that if I don't know who it is I'm dealing with."  
  
She finally turned to look at him. Her eyes were blood-shot and puffy from crying.   
  
Though, her intense blue eyes were no longer showing signs of weakness. They were a  
  
combination of fury and determination. She would not cry in front of him. She wouldn't let him  
  
see her like that.  
  
Clearing her throat she nodded. "Fine. You want the truth. Here it is. My father wanted  
  
to create a demon with the ability to blend into the mortal world just as easily as Belthazor, but  
  
without his emotional weakness. He decided it was all about the upbringing. He would only let  
  
me feel emotions when it suited his purposes. So anyway, one day he went out, took my mother,  
  
a good witch, to his lair and raped her. Kept her against her will until the day I was born. Then  
  
he killed her." Courtney paused closing her eyes against that knowledge. "Great way to be  
  
brought into the world. Rape and murder."  
  
"Well," she continued, "he trained me as a demon from day one. I killed my first witch  
  
when I was six. No one was expecting a little girl to be a monster in disguise. It was on that day  
  
I first felt guilt and remorse. My father had unbound my feelings so that I could properly interact  
  
with this witch. Only she was kind to me, and I felt good things...I _liked _those good feelings.   
  
When I killed her as my father ordered me to, I felt horrible things. I didn't understand it. Why  
  
did I have to do something that felt so bad? Why did the nice lady have to die? I grew scared. I  
  
ran away."   
  
She smiled then, just slightly. "A man by the name of Ben Jenkins found me in an alley  
  
outside of a local pub. He didn't know what I was, so he took pity on me. He brought me to his  
  
home and I stayed with him and his family until I was eighteen. That was when my father found  
  
me." The smile vanished. "He killed Ben right in front of me. The family too. Set them on fire.  
  
They all died because of me."  
  
"My father had been furious with me, he beat me for many days after that. He thought he  
  
could torture the goodness out of me. He even tried to use spells to zap the feelings of rightness  
  
from me. It was too late for that, though. The woman had given me the first taste of kindness  
  
and Ben had raised me as a mortal for twelve years. I learned in that time what it was like to be  
  
good, to be treated well, and to have a family. I didn't want to go back to being evil. It made me  
  
feel such terrible things. I lived the next fifty years or so of my life betraying my father...saving the  
  
innocents he wanted killed. I always found ways to prove I had done as he commanded so he  
  
never had reason to doubt me. Plus, he thought I was too scared of him to go against him again.  
  
I was safe. That is until one of his allies caught me vanquishing one of my father's men in order  
  
to save a witch. My father came after me, and in the end I killed him."   
  
Her eyes got cold and emotionless causing a chill to run up Chris' spine. When she spoke  
  
again her voice was totally even. "I was glad he was dead. He was evil, and he needed to be  
  
stopped. Still, I knew I would never be completely free of him until I was rid of my powers. I  
  
went to whom I thought was a friend and had him help me strip them. Unfortunately, I just  
  
discovered he worked for my father and bound my powers to him. Now that dear old dad has  
  
found his way back out of hell, he wants to use that potion I took and some ancient spell to bind  
  
my will to him as well. I would be his puppet."  
  
"If you were never really evil, why did you feel the need to lie to me and my family about  
  
your past?"  
  
Courtney rolled her eyes. "Like the Halliwells would ever trust a Turner again. Phoebe  
  
would freak if she knew who I was. I'd be nothing but a pile of ashes in seconds. The thing is,  
  
I'm not like Cole. He was raised as a demon when he was very young, where as I was taken in  
  
by a family. I was still impressionable, and they ingrained morals into me that fit with the  
  
feelings I was having. Kindness felt good whereas evil felt bad. It made sense in my childish  
  
little mind."  
  
"Okay, I guess I can understand why you would be leery of telling us at first, but my  
  
family adores you now. Why still remain so secretive? Especially after I trusted you with my  
  
secret?"  
  
The young lady shrugged. "I don't know, really. I guess I just didn't think it mattered.   
  
The past is the past. Besides, I didn't really think I was lying. I believed my powers were gone  
  
for good, and I was honestly a mortal. My heritage didn't seem important. Besides, you fell in  
  
love with Courtney the mortal. I wasn't sure if I could handle it if you looked at me as a demon."  
  
"That's another thing. Why me? The Halliwells are known for being a major target of  
  
demons. Weren't you in more danger from your father's allies and such being with me?"  
  
"The Halliwells are also known to be feared by demons. I was safest with you." She said  
  
smiling shyly.  
  
Chris nodded. "Okay. I guess that makes sense." He frowned suddenly. "How old are you, anyway?"

"About 75. Though, I stopped physically aging at 21."

That was a little disturbing. The mother of his child was old enough to be his grandmother. He sighed

not wanting to talk about the next topic at hand. He had to though. It needed to get settled. "About the

baby-"  
  
"-I am more than capable of raising this child on my own. Don't worry. You and Bianca  
  
don't have to concern yourselves with me and mine. Go live the life you earned. Be with the  
  
woman you truly love. We'll be fine."  
  
"That isn't what I was going to-"  
  
"-Watch out!" Courtney shouted as she shoved Chris to the ground.   
  
Looking up, Chris saw an energy ball soar just above them. He quickly got to his feet and  
  
saw Courtney do likewise. Five demons surrounded them. Each wearing a black cloak with a  
  
silver broach picturing a scythe on it. Chris wasted no time in sending two of them flying into  
  
two others sending four of the five demons crashing to the ground.  
  
Courtney reflexively lifted her hand palm up to summon fire and burn the remaining  
  
demon to a crisp, but instead of fire, orb lights shot out of her hand. Pretty, but definitely no  
  
good in a fight. Her eyes went wide. "Bad baby! Very bad, Baby!" She dove to the ground as  
  
the demon retaliated with an energy ball.   
  
Noticing what happened with Courtney's powers, Chris moved in front of her to protect  
  
her and their child. As two demons sent energy balls at them, he used his powers to fling them  
  
back at them sending two of them up in smoke. Three more remained though. He had to get  
  
them out of here. He reached down to grab Courtney and orb them to safety, but before he could  
  
reach her a burning pain erupted in his left shoulder. He instinctively looked over at it. He had  
  
been hit by an energy ball. Three more were heading towards them. He managed to send back  
  
the two aimed at Courtney, but couldn't turn towards the third in time.   
  
He heard Courtney scream, then saw as the energy ball froze inches from his torso.   
  
Literally. It was locked in ice. He looked down at Courtney, who was staring at her hands in  
  
shock. Had their baby done that? No time to think about it. He quickly redirected the now  
  
frozen ball towards the last demon. The monster went flying six feet as the giant ice chunk  
  
smacked him in the chest.  
  
Chris again reached for Courtney, but paused when he saw the utter terror in her eyes. He  
  
turned around to find that more demons had shimmered in to help their comrades. Instead of a  
  
measly five, there were close to fifteen or twenty now. He rushed to take her hand and orb out,  
  
but he was shot down before he could finish the orb. The last thing he heard was Courtney  
  
screaming his name. The last thing he saw before the darkness claimed him was Courtney and  
  
the baby she was carrying being taken away by a horde of demons.

tbc...

Thanks so much for all the great reviews!!! Glad you all liked Wyatt's little one liner last chapter. I promise that I will try to update soon, but life is crazy right now. Hopefully I will get one up by Thu. Oh and just to clarify this, because I'm not sure if it'll be explained in the story, the baby blocks all evil magic and Courtney's old power of flames was evil. That's why it didn't work. The ice is the baby's white magic. Okay then...


	11. Family Reunion Cut Short and the news ab...

Disclaimer: Don't own anything.

Dannyblue: that's me. Cruel. LOL  
p3charmed4eva: I aim to please  
Barbas: yeah, they were after her. Glad you thought her past was messed up. It was supposed to be.  
charmedrox: yea! I was trying for that reaction.  
ChrisHcharmedfreak: Glad you mean it.  
AngelDranger: Yeah, uh...sorry, no promises  
xxanxinsomniacxnightmarexx: thanks!  
Mickis: glad ta hear it!  
Angel170: gotta love Chris!

AN: This just didn't turn out the way I had planned. I don't know why. I went over three hundred times, but just couldn't get the feeling I wanted. Maybe it's just me. I dunno. Let me know what you all think.

Chapter 11  
  
Wyatt quietly opened the door to the bedroom he and his wife shared with their daughter,  
Peyton. He had no idea if Emily had managed to get the little tyke down for a nap, but definitely didn't want to risk waking a sleeping baby.  
  
Emily was sitting cross-legged on the bed with her back against the head board. She looked up from her latest romance novel as she saw her husband's head peer around the partially opened door. She grinned before placing a finger over her lips and nodding her head toward the crib. Noticing the peculiar look in her lover's eyes she squinted concentrating on finding the mental link they shared as telepaths. Without spoken words, she asked him what was going on.  
  
Mentally he replied, "Where should I start. Let's see...mom is downstairs and Chris isn't Chris...well, he is Chris just not the Chris we know and he has a new fiancee, who hates my guts by the way-"  
  
"-Whoa, whoa, slow down! You are giving me such a migraine." Emily frowned then,  
her eyes getting larger. Aloud she asked shocked, "Did you just say Piper is downstairs?"  
  
Wyatt nodded and whispered, "Just come on."  
  
His wife set her book on the night-stand and slid off the bed. When she reached the hallway she noticed a dark haired woman standing a few feet away. Emily raised an eyebrow in question.  
  
"Em, this is Bianca, Bianca, this is my wife Emily."  
  
"Chris' other fiancee?" Emily asked trying to catch up.  
  
Bianca nodded uncomfortably. "Nice to meet you."  
  
Emily turned to her husband. "So why does my brother-in-law have two fiancees now?"  
  
"Long story, Dear."  
  
She frowned, and folded her arms over her chest. "Then pretend we are back in magic school and give me the cheat sheet."  
  
"Okay, you asked for it. Chris went to the past because I was evil. He saved me,  
obviously, changed everything and now he doesn't remember the changed version of his life. Oh, and Bianca remembers everything because she helped him go back to the past. They were in love and all that fun stuff."  
  
Emily glanced over at Bianca. "Was he such a smart ass in your world?"  
  
"No, he just stuck to being evil." She replied laughing.  
  
"See. Told you, you'd like Em."  
  
A squeal erupted from somewhere downstairs. Wyatt grinned. "Gee, I think Aunt Phoebe is home. Hey, you don't suppose she saw mom?"  
  
Emily rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. So, why is your dead mother here?"  
  
"Past mother. She's from the past. Was worried about Chris, I think." He shrugged. "Let's go. I can't wait for you to meet her." He tugged playfully on his wife's sleeve.  
  
Bianca watched as the former ruler of all evil tickled his wife until she submitted, then kissed her with a passion the former assassin never knew could exist in that man. It was certainly a new improved Wyatt. She allowed herself a smile and followed the happy couple downstairs to see what all the commotion was about.  
  
Phoebe wasn't the only one who had returned to find Piper alive and well. Paige and the girls had finished up at the school for the day and were also busy hugging the long lost Halliwell sister. Paige and Phoebe were both crying, taking turns hugging their sister repeatedly. Leo was never far from Piper's side. Paris was talking about a hundred miles an hour about who she was and how her life was going and how she wanted to be a chef just like her aunt Piper. Pearl was standing behind her mother acting shy for the first time in her life. Piper meanwhile just smiled and nodded, a little overwhelmed by it all.  
  
"Oh, Piper, we all miss you so much! I can't believe you are really here. I mean, we knew you were coming and all, but to actually see you...this is just so wonderful!" Phoebe gushed.  
  
Paige smiled. "This little girl who seems to have suddenly developed a shyness syndrome, is my daughter Pearl. Paris is Phoebe's and Prue is too, but I think she is still at college."  
  
"Prue?" Piper asked smiling at the mention of their oldest sister's name.  
  
Phoebe nodded. "Yeah, I named her after our Prue. They're actually quite a bit alike too."  
  
Wyatt pushed his way to the inner circle. "Ladies, ladies, this is my mother after all. I think I should get first go at her." He reached Piper's side and hugged her again. "Mom, you have no idea how great this is. I always wanted you to meet my family." He turned to Emily,  
gently pulling her forward. "Mom, this is my wife, Emily. We met at Magic School."  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Wyatt." Emily said, suddenly as shy as Pearl. She blushed looking down while fidgeting with her blouse.  
  
Piper frowned. "Emily? Wait a second. Are you a telepath, by chance?"  
  
"Yes." Emily answered caught off guard by the strange question.  
  
The eldest charmed one laughed. "We have met before. Well, granted you were only about a year old, but I remember you. You stole Wyatt's play-dough."  
  
Wyatt grinned. "Yeah, well when we grow up, she steals my heart."  
  
Paige rolled her eyes. "How corny can a guy get?"  
  
"Gee, thanks Aunt Paige, love you too." Wyatt replied. He returned his focus to his mom. "And, you and dad are grandparents. We have a little girl, Peyton. She's sleeping right now, but as soon as she's up, I want you to see her."  
  
"Wow, barely in my thirties and already a grandma."  
  
Wyatt's face suddenly fell and he clutched his stomach crying out in pain. Emily grabbed his arm to support him, but both ended up sinking to the ground. Wyatt's eyes were wide with fear and he was shaking terribly. Emily was holding him close stroking his back trying to calm him down enough to get him to realize the pain he was feeling wasn't his own. This wasn't the first time her husband had suffered like this. Anytime one of the Halliwells were hurt, Wyatt could feel it as though he were the one living through the agony.  
  
Taking deep breaths as though it were difficult to breathe, Wyatt looked up at his aunts and mother. "Chris. It's...oh, god! We've gotta get to him!"  
  
Bianca inhaled sharply before dropping to her knees next to Wyatt. "Where is he! Sense him! Where is Chris?"  
  
"Here." He reached out his hand for Bianca to take. As soon as he felt her warmth, he began to orb. He had no idea that his mother, father and wife would reach out to him and tag along.  
  
When he reformed, the pain was gone, his senses his own once more. Wyatt saw Chris'  
still form and heard Emily and Bianca both scream. He vaguely heard his mother gasp before she started running alongside him to get to his baby brother. Leo beat him to the heal. Everyone watched in anxiousness as the golden light began to form under Leo's hands and the massive wound in Chris' abdomen and shoulder began to close.  
  
Chris opened his eyes and coughed. Bianca wrapped her arms around him holding him closely. He pulled away, terror in his eyes. "Courtney."  
  
Bianca looked like someone had just slapped her. "What?"  
  
"They have her!" Chris scrambled to get to his feet, but Wyatt and Leo held him down.  
  
"Hey, hold on there, Chris." Wyatt said softly. "We almost lost you. What the hell happened?"  
  
Piper kneeled down next to her boys. "Who took her?"  
  
Chris shook his head. "Demons. They were in these black cloaks...I think they worked for her father."  
  
"Her father?" Emily asked confused.  
  
Chris yanked out of his family's grasp. "I have to find her. They're going to kill her and the baby. Oh, my god the baby. What if he knows?"  
  
Piper frowned. "The father? If he knew, it would put them both in even more danger."  
  
"Chris, can you sense Courtney?" Wyatt asked.  
  
The youngest son nodded. "Yeah, we have some sort of connection. I think it has to do with the baby."  
  
Chris failed to notice the pained look that statement caused to cross Bianca's face.  
  
Piper nodded. "Okay, then. We have to get her back. First we check the book of shadows, see if the vanquish for her father is like the one for Belthazor. Then, we go after him and get Courtney back."  
  
"No, we, mom." Wyatt began. "Can't risk losing you early. It would mean no Melinda,  
and the loss of the innocents you still have to save back in your own time. Bianca, Chris, and I can handle this."  
  
"But-"  
  
Leo nodded agreement, cutting off his wife's protest. "Piper, they're right. Besides, you need to get back. The kids need you." He paused smiling softly. "I need you."  
  
Piper sighed in defeat. "Fine. But I am not going back until I know everything is okay. Got it?"  
  
"Yes, mom." Chris and Wyatt replied.  
  
Emily took Wyatt's hand, Bianca grabbed Chris, and Piper held Leo and all six of them orbed back to the manor's attic. Chris reached the Book of Shadows first and started flipping through the pages using telekinesis. He stopped once he reached the page on Belthan. He read the information silently before looking up to his family.  
  
"Belthan is an upper level demon with energy balls, glamouring, and shimmering. Like Belthazor it takes a piece of flesh for the potion to work."  
  
Wyatt nodded. "Okay, so we grab Courtney first. Then, we concentrate on the vanquish. Sound good?"  
  
"Works for me." Bianca replied.  
  
Emily's face paled. "Uh, guys?" Her eyes became glossy and began to focus on the couch. Her voice was monotone when she spoke next. "Something is wrong. Why can't I summon the baby's powers? Emily can you hear me? Please, somebody help me. The baby...oh, god what has he done?"  
  
Blood began to seep from the telepath's nose and her eyes rolled back in her head. As she began to fall to the floor, Wyatt caught her in his arms. Tears were forming in his eyes. "Emily? Em, can you hear me? Answer me! Emily!"  
  
Piper and Leo were at their eldest son's side in an instant. Piper was trying to reassure Wyatt, while Leo worked on healing his daughter-in-law. Nothing happened when he raised his hands, though.  
  
Chris could feel an emptiness begin to form in the pit of his stomach. His heart felt constricted and instantly he knew. Something was wrong with his baby. Belthan knew Courtney was pregnant and was hurting his child! If he didn't get to her soon, Courtney would lose the baby.

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000  
Courtney screamed out as another shock of electricity shot through her. She had tried to reach out mentally to Emily, but had no idea if the telepath would hear her. She hoped so. Chris and Wyatt had to find her, they just had to. She didn't care if these demons tortured her to death, but the baby was innocent. Her child just had to be okay!  
  
A large demon with black diamond tattoos on his forehead moved toward her chained formed. He grinned, his yellow teeth gleaming in the dim light. He raised his athame moving it slowly in front of her face. Then slowly dug the tip in from her shoulder to her abdomen. Courtney cried out as the pain caused tears to form in her eyes.  
  
"Enough."  
  
Courtney forced her head up. She swallowed hard as her father moved in front of her. "May the Halliwells cause you to relive the moment of your death for fifty thousand years."  
  
Belthan slapped her. "Silence, Traitor!" He looked down to her stomach, saw the blood and smiled. "That child would have been the end of us all. I will be the new source when the news gets out of the babe's demise."  
  
"What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"The reincarnation of Melinda Warren. It was foretold since the beginning. The shield against evil magic was a sign. This child cannot be tainted because it is the essence of good magic. It had to be destroyed before it came into its full power!"  
  
Courtney couldn't help but laugh bitterly. "You are insane. I'm half-demon, and Chris...he's just a normal witch."  
  
"He was the son of a charmed one and an elder. Did you think his fate was to be one of less grandeur than his older brother?"  
  
"It doesn't make any sense. The other Halliwell children...any of them could-"  
  
"-It doesn't matter now! The child will not survive." Her father turned away from her, leaving Courtney to dangle from the wall, her body bloody, her spirit broken.

tbc..


	12. Memories of Courtney

Disclaimer: Guess, what? Still own nothing!

Mickis:I am hoping to update again on Mon.  
AngelDranger: uh, define "happy" ending?  
buffspike: It ain't over till it's over. just wait to see who it'll be. ;)  
barbas: Nah, I probably just confused you a lot. LOL  
Dominiquel: I'm hoping to do that later on. kewl that we're on the same page.  
piperleo4eva: I am not that cruel! oh, wait...uh, nevermind.  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Bianca leaned against the doorframe to Wyatt and Emily's room. Piper and Leo had taken Peyton downstairs and were currently filling in the rest of the Halliwell clan on what was going on.  
Emily was unconscious still. Wyatt hadn't left her side yet. For twenty-five minutes he had set with her, holding her hand and whispering urges for her to wake up. He turned slightly at the sound of Bianca's sigh. "How's Chris holding up?"  
  
"Not great." She replied as she crossed the room. She sat lightly next to him on the bed. "He's terrified that something is going to happen to the baby. I'm worried that if we don't do something fast, he's going to do something stupid."  
  
"Yeah, that sounds like Chris all right."  
"So what do you think happened to her? I mean, she's going to be okay, right?"  
  
"Dad thinks Courtney managed to reach out to Emily and somehow her pain ended up getting sent across the connection too." Wyatt gently squeezed his wife's hand. "It took a lot out of her."  
  
Bianca looked away, unsure of how to continue the conversation in the direction she knew she had to make it go. "Wyatt, we can't afford to wait much longer. Courtney is being put through hell, and the stress has got to be hurting the baby. Chris is scared she's gonna lose her. If we don't go now, he's going to try to play hero all by himself, you know that. It'll end up getting all three of them killed."  
  
Wyatt sighed nodding. With one last longing look at Emily, he rose from the bed and moved to the door. He returned his focus to Bianca and smiled softly. "I don't say this very often, so relish it. You're right. Now, are you coming or what?"  
  
Bianca rolled her eyes. "Like you could stop me from helping."  
  
111111111111  
  
Chris placed a few more potions in the small leather bag currently residing on his bed. They had more than likely been prepared by Paige, which mean they were the strongest potions known to witch-kind. Considering Belthan's minions were upper levels of unknown numbers,  
these little beauties were going to come in very handy.  
  
Bag of tricks fully stuffed with goodies, Chris turned to grab his lucky dagger from the sock drawer. At least, that was where he kept it in his world. He had no idea where he would keep an athame in this world, or if he even kept one at all. One would think he would have one just in case, but everything was so different here...he just didn't know for certain.  
  
He yanked open the drawer shuffling through the various socks and undergarments. Instead of finding his dagger, he found an envelope addressed to him. His hand paused just above it, hesitating. There was no doubt in his mind that it was from Courtney. Now was so not the time for this...still, he found himself pulling it out from amongst the gold-toes. His pointer-  
finger slid under the flap ripping it open. After pulling out everything he could find in the envelope, Chris noticed two tickets sticking out from baby-blue stationary. They were tickets for a 49ers game that was coming up in about two weeks. He set them on top of the dresser and moved his attention to the letter. He began to read.  
  
_My dearest Chris,  
  
Happy 23rd birthday, baby! Hope you don't have any plans because these tickets are not refundable and you and I both know how much my paintings go for. (Just kidding-don't worry,  
they were a good deal.) Oh, and feel free to take whoever you deem worthy. Just a heads up,  
Wyatt knows and I'm pretty sure he will cry like a baby if you don't take him. Then again, I am a huge niners fan and so is Mel. One woman is your lover and the other is your hormonal little sister. Decisions, decisions, huh? (Oh, lighten up, I'm taking Mel to a show, so you are free to take Wyatt...unless Leo finds out...does he even like football? Oh, well, I tried)  
Chris, do you have any idea how special you are to me? Have I told you how much I love you lately? Sometimes the words just don't seem to cut it. I mean, when you hold me in your arms, your beautiful green eyes staring into my soul, and your lips brush against my skin, I feel like the world is ours and time has stopped just for us. I feel complete when I'm with you. You are my soul-mate, my best friend and the greatest love I'll ever know. Each moment with you is perfection. Nothing bad can touch me when I have you by my side. What was it you said when we first met? Oh yeah, you said you were a guardian angel. That is more true than you could ever realize. I don't know what I would do without you. I pray that I make you feel as loved as you make me feel everyday. My heart belongs to you, Christopher Perry Halliwell. May it serve you well.  
  
Forever yours,  
Courtney  
_  
Chris could feel something working its way to the front of his mind. It was that feeling people get when they are certain they know something and it is right in front of them, but the thing just won't come to the surface of the mind. Chris was experiencing that, but in his case it was working itself out much faster than normal. He'd had this sensation before. Just today, in fact, when he had met Melinda. Everything began to unfold slowly at first, and oddly it even started at the beginning.  
  
_His hand reached for the latest comedy release but came up with air as another more slender, delicate hand snatched up the last copy for rent. Chris turned fully intending to aruge his right to the movie when he saw the owner of the guilty hand.  
  
Even in a simple pair of jeans and thin yellow tank top, Courtney had taken his breath away. The majority of her strawberry-blonde hair had been pulled into a messy ponytail, but a few of her ringlets still fell around her beautiful heart-shaped face.  
  
Taken back by her beauty, Chris stood dumbly as she went to the checkout, paid for her groceries and the rental and headed out the front doors. It wasn't until she was gone that he snapped out of it enough to jog after her.  
  
As Chris looked around the parking lot he spotted Courtney just as the bottom of her paper grocery bag blew out spewing her canned goods and everything else all over. She was too busy trying to collect everything to notice him approaching.  
  
"Need a hand?"  
  
She looked up squinting against the sun. "Uh, yeah, thanks."  
  
They made small talk as they loaded their arms full of soup cans, t.v dinners and hamburger helper. He asked where she was from, she said New York. She asked him the same question, he replied that he had been born and raised here. Family? Lots? You. No, not really. And so on. They had reached the topic of work when they reached her car.  
  
After setting everything in the backseat of her jeep, Courtney finally broke into a grin and shook her head. "So, do you always play the knight in shining armor?"  
  
"Nah, I'm more of your guardian angel variety of heros."  
  
_Images flashed in Chris' mind like an old fashioned movie projector. Then another important moment flew to the forefront and each detail was played out slowly so its viewer could fully appreciate it. This was after all the more intimate of moments.  
  
_With Courtney's legs wrapped around his waist and their mouths locked in a moist, hot tango, Chris was having difficulty opening the door to his bedroom. He couldn't keep his concentration on turning the stupid knob, especially when she did that certain thing with her tongue...oh, yeah, there it was. Damn she was good. No. He had to focus. Especially considering the task was made even trickier by the fact that the palms of his hands were starting to sweat. Luckily after a few moments of frustration, the door flew open.  
  
The lovers flew across the room, stumbling onto the bed. Not even noticing when the door hit the wall and bounced shut again. Good thing too. No knowing when one of the relatives could come back home.  
  
Courtney began to work quickly on the buttons of his shirt while nibbling alternately on his neck and ear lobe. She paused only long enough to gasp in delight as Chris' hand began to slowly, gently slide up her thigh, just reaching the bottom hemline of her min-skirt.  
  
"Hey, Chris, we have a prob-" Leo's sentence died in the air as he finished opening the door, which in his hurry, Chris had forgotten to lock.  
  
Courtney jumped and this time gasped for an entirely different reason, while Chris' eyes just kept getting wider and wider.  
"Oh, wow, I just never thought...I mean, the door wasn't... and you've never before...uh,"  
Leo stammered still shocked by the image of his youngest engaged in...that.  
  
"Dad! Go! Now!"  
  
"Right, yes. Of course." Leo shut the door behind him as he made the worlds fastest exit.  
  
Chris turned to Courtney about to apologize profusely when he heard muffled laughter. "What, pray tell, is so funny about this?"  
  
"The look...on your face." She put a hand to her mouth to stop further giggles. It failed. "We...were caught by...by your dad!" She burst out laughing, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Oh, god, it's like highschool or something!"  
  
His only reply was given when he tossed the pillow at her head.  
  
_Memories kept jumping out form the recesses of his mind. The speed ever increasing with time. Everything was in fast-forward. That is until another mile-stone moment appeared in his mind's eye.  
  
_The setting was the country, by the lake he had found Courtney at earlier that very day. This time they were together, though. A tent was pitched in the distance, a fire burned on the sand in front of them, while he and Courtney lay on a blanket under the stars. She was leaning back against his chest, his head rested upon hers, his arms wrapped around her, holding her hands to keep them warm.  
  
"It is so peaceful out here. No cars, no television, no computers, no people-"  
  
"No heaters." Chris pointed out. "Are you sure you don't want my sweater?"  
  
She arched her head to grin mischievously at him. "If I'm wearing your sweater, what'll you be wearing?"  
  
He grinned back. "Get your mind out of the gutter, young lady."  
  
"Never." She declared kissing him.  
  
Chris slowly pulled away, a serious air suddenly surrounding him. "Court, I don't think I can take one more day without you in it. In fact, I know I can't. Do you have any idea what you have done to me? I mean, Wyatt was always the stable one, wanted a normal life with a family,  
car, the fence and all that. Me? I just wanted to own P3 by myself and be a bachelor forever. Only now, I can't see myself without you. I don't want to. So...you should move in with me."  
  
"Chris-"  
  
"-No, to hell with that." He shook his head. "I think...no, I am sure that you are the one. I know a lot about this stuff too. My mom, she was a huge romantic. Told me all sorts of stories about true love and finding that special someone. I love you. You are that special someone." He stroked her cheek with his thumb lightly. "Marry me, Courtney. Please?"  
  
She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Yes."  
_  
Chris slowly opened his eyes. Bianca and Wyatt were hovering over him, worried looks on both their faces. He sat up only vaguely aware of the fact he had been moved onto the bed. He was too preoccupied with thoughts of Courtney. Oh, god. Chris turned Wyatt. "We have to get to her, Wy! I can't lose her. Not now, not after everything..." He paused remembering Bianca was there and not wanting to hurt her couldn't finish that sentence. He loved her too after all. His life was _**so**_ messed up! He shook his head clearing it of such thoughts for now. "We have to go! Now!"  
  
Bianca noticed how adeptly Chris avoided looking at her. She knew then what had occurred. Chris remembered Courtney. Was in love with her. The note they found in his hands must have triggered his memories. He remembered and loved the woman carrying his baby. It was perfect. Well, for them anyway. What about her though? Where did she belong, now?  
  
She only barely noticed Wyatt's sympathetic look. Just caught sight of his outreached hand. Even if she was going to lose Chris, she wanted to help them. He deserved to have his family back home safe and sound. And god help her, Bianca loved him so much and always would that she would do whatever was best for him. Even if it meant bringing back the person that would tear them apart forever.

tbc...all Bianca fans keep heart. I haven't decided anything yet. Maybe you should all just vote. Whoever gets the most votes is the one Chris will end up with how about that?


	13. Rescue, Death, and Demons in hiding

Disclaimer: I own nothing  
Chapter 13  
  
Courtney was barely conscious of her surroundings. Everything was so hazy, like a great fog had managed to get into the underworld and maneuvered into her father's lair. The room seemed to be swinging back and forth and at times the young woman felt like up was down and vice versa. The motion made her feel sick to her stomach.  
  
"One little flick of the dagger and the danger is eliminated." Her father was still ranting about the baby being the reincarnation of Melinda Warren. He seemed truly unnerved by this child.  
  
"Wyatt and Chris Halliwell will come for me, and when they do you are going to wish that you had stayed dead." Speaking hurt, but she wasn't about to let him keep babbling about killing her child.  
  
Belthan merely frowned. "They will be too late. The curse inside of you will be gone,  
and you shall be mine once more. I relish the idea that you be the one to destroy the second child...Chris is it? Yes. That would be perfect."  
  
Courtney forced her eyes to look over at the left wall. She could have sworn she had heard the sound of orbing a second ago. Was she really so out of it that she was hearing things? Or...Chris! He was here! He really had come for her and the baby. If he was here, chances were Wyatt was with him. She was going to make it. More importantly her baby was going to be all right.  
  
"Enough, talk. I end this now." Her father lunged the blade forward slicing into her abdomen. Blood immediately began to seep out of the wound.  
  
Pain. It was like nothing she had ever felt before. Tender flesh had been torn open, cut like it was nothing more than a tomato. Though the same color spilled from both: **red.** There was so much red, everywhere. It just kept coming.  
  
Her vision blacked out suddenly. It came back so very, very slowly, fading in with a white fuzzy edge around everything. When the picture came into focus, she saw so many people all around her. Chris was here. He was flinging demons into walls, hurling potions at them sending them to a fiery death. Wyatt did the same, though he didn't need any potions to destroy the monsters. He could just raise his hand and two or three of her father's best went up in flames. Whoa, was that Bianca? What the hell? Why was she here? Wow. She was really good. Maybe she had done this before?  
  
Oh, no. Her father threw a high power energy ball at Chris. The Halliwell was facing the wrong way. "Chris, behind you!"  
  
Her warning came just in time. The young man orbed away just as the attack would have hit him. He orbed back a moment later to continue the fight. Though he wasn't killing as many demons now. He was throwing them out of his path. Chris was trying to get to her.  
  
Courtney's vision went black as another surge of pain ripped through her body. She almost lost consciousness, but willed herself to stay strong, to stay awake enough to keep an eye on everyone. When the blackness began to fade into the blurry white framework again, she screamed. Chris was on the ground with her father looming over him, energy ball ready to finish him off.  
  
Wyatt heard the scream and whipped his head around to see the demon over his brother. He gestured with his hand, and Belthan went flying into the opposite wall. Finishing off the minions he was currently working on, Wyatt moved to face off against Belthan. He turned to Chris. "I got him. Get Courtney."

Chris nodded and rose to his feet. He saw Bianca a little ways off surrounded by four demons. She threw a potion at one, while at the same time grabbing another and hurling him into his exploding friend. She then shimmered out as one demon threw an energy ball at her head, it ended up flying into the other demon. Bianca shimmered in behind the last one, and finished him off with an athame.  
  
A demon charged up his energy ball and hurled it at Chris, who merely raised his hand and sent it flying right back at him. He continued on his way as the creature let out a scream and exploded. He didn't have time to play around. He had to get to Courtney!  
  
He ran to her, throwing any stray demons out of the way. When he reached her, he saw the wound and his heart stopped for a moment. "Oh, god, the baby. No, no. Please, no. Courtney? Can you hear me? I'm going to orb us out of here. Leo can heal you when we get to the manor. Everything is going to be fine."  
  
Courtney took a breath shuddering. "Sorry....for...this."  
  
Belthan flew over into the wall next to Chris, the demon looked like he had been hit by a car. His face was battered, his arm was twisted in the wrong direction, and a dagger was sticking out of his upper thigh. Wyatt was pretty pissed by the looks of it.  
  
Chris glared at the monster responsible for hurting his child. He moved over the man ready to end his life for good. Wyatt was at his side a moment later. Without speaking, the brothers began to chant a vanquishing spell. "Hear we brothers in this hour, as we call upon the power, to vanquish this evil from this place, his existence we now erase."  
  
Belthan's face began to become contorted, his features expanding and shifting until his head exploded, followed by the rest of him. As the leader disappeared, so too did the minions. Each of them ran for their lives, no longer having the courage or the reason to continue fighting.  
  
Courtney had passed out just before her father's untimely demise. Chris wrapped his arms around her waist and orbed them out as Wyatt took Bianca's hand and followed.  
  
The foursome reappeared in Chris' room back at the manor. Leo was waiting for them, prepared to heal those wounded in battle. As Chris gently placed the mother of his child on the bed, he felt tears forming in his eyes. He knew as well as anyone that Leo could not heal the dead. What if his child was already gone?  
  
Leo moved next to Courtney's body, and raised his hands to hover just above the major wound. To everyone's relief, the familiar golden glow appeared and the gaping wound began to shrink until it was no more. Even Leo had been worried about being able to heal the child, but now he let out a breath of relief. "She's going to be fine. Both of them are just fine." He rose from the bed. "She's sleeping. I suggest we let her."  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement. Wyatt and Leo left the room then to go check on Emily and to inform everyone else that everyone would be all right.  
  
"Chris?"  
  
Chris turned to face Bianca for the first time since he had received his new memories. "Shh, let's go somewhere else." He grabbed her hand and orbed them up into the attack where they could talk without waking Courtney, and have the privacy they needed.  
  
Bianca sighed moving away from him. "I know what you're thinking, Chris. You remember her now, love her." She turned to face him. "It's okay. I can't blame you. I mean,  
she's carry your baby. Now that you love each other you can be one happy little family. The kid deserves to have two parents who love one another. So, I'm going to make this easier for the both of us and just go."  
  
"No, don't." Chris shook his head frustrated. "I do remember and love her, but I also love you, and I know this is selfish, but I don't want to lose you, Bianca. I feel like if you go, then a part of me will too. I still remember the other life so clearly. It's dominate, but now all these new memories are popping up and new ideas and feelings and everything is just getting so damn confused in my head. I believed this or that in the other life, but now, this life I don't feel the same way, and nothing makes sense anymore. The new memories are coming so much faster now that it's like there are two different people sharing one body, and I swear I'm going to lose my mind."  
  
"But the baby-"  
  
"-will have two parents." Chris cut in. "But I am not about to chose Courtney over you just because of the baby. It wouldn't be fair to either of you. I just need some time. I need to sort things out. Find out how I really feel when everything is said and done. When I figure out who the hell I am now."  
  
He moved towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "I love you, Bianca. I'm not about to just forget that. I can't just turn it off like a switch. I lost you once and I will not go through that again." Before she could answer, he kissed her.  
  
000  
  
The threat was over. She and the baby were both fine. Tired as all hell, but other than that, just great. Now it was time to do what had to be done. It was time to do what was best for herself and the child she was carrying. It was time to cut Chris free.  
  
He didn't remember her, didn't even remember when the baby was conceived. What was even better was the fact he was in love with someone else. As far as Courtney was concerned, the man she had once loved with all her heart was dead. Chris had said there was no hope for it being any other way. The baby didn't change anything. She didn't even know if this Chris liked kids. It didn't matter. She was not going to put herself or her child in that kind of situation. Always wondering if today would be the day he remembered, told her he loved her. What would she tell her little girl? ' Sorry, honey, daddy doesn't remember mommy. May not even like her very much. That's why he's with that other lady. You know, the one who thinks we are evil just because of our heritage.' No, no way was she going to suffer her little girl by trapping her in the middle of a man who never wanted her, and the woman who probably thinks the world would be safer if her mother were to die.  
  
Courtney leaned back against the headboard trying to figure out a way to channel her baby's magical energies. She closed her eyes searching for that familiar feeling of ice which used to make her blood boil. Instead, after a few moments she found fire, a warm, friendly flame that when she reached out to it, made her feel as calm as she had ever felt in her life. It was light magic. She had never had access to true light magic before. It was wonderful.  
  
After reining in all the magical energy she could hold grasp, the woman bit her lower lip trying to think up a spell that would allow her the freedom to raise her little girl in peace, without worrying that Chris, Wyatt, or Leo would come after her. She didn't want them to ever look for her. She had to convince them somehow that it would be pointless. Because as much as she loved all three of them, Courtney would rather cut them out of their lives than bear having to live with seeing Chris and Bianca raise her daughter. Neither of them had any right to. Neither of them were her parents, the people who had created this child during a passionate sharing of love. Only Courtney was there and remembered.  
  
She sighed feeling sick to her stomach at the idea that came into her mind. It was horrible, but it would she really do that to all of them? Could she put them through that? She glanced down at her stomach remembering an image she had while asleep.  
  
Chris, Bianca and little Piper (Courtney really wanted to do that for her Chris. He had loved his mother so much, missed her everyday. She didn't know about this Chris, but she didn't care either. She was naming the child Piper Anne Turner and that was that. Anne was her own mother's name, and Turner was so much safer than Halliwell.) were sitting in the conservatory celebrating the winter solstice while she was trapped outside looking in through the window. Bianca wouldn't even look at the little girl, and Chris' focus was on Bianca, kissing her neck, rubbing her shoulders. Courtney had tried to get in, tried to get to her daughter but all entrances were locked against her. She lost her little girl to those two, and they didn't even appreciate her! Didn't seem to love her at all. Yet they kept her away from Courtney. Wouldn't let her see her own daughter!  
  
Courtney let out a deep breath as she finished writing down the spell that would cause pain to people she grown to love. She hated doing it, but she was not about to let that dream ever have a chance of being real. She pulled open the nearest drawer grabbing a book of matches out. She struck one and it lit immediately. She then lit the candle she kept on the night-stand and began the spell. "Ancient powers hear my cry, make them think that I did die. Make them see what did not occur, twist the truth, make it a blur. Allow me to set Christopher free, let it be. Let it be." She then burned the written spell in the candle watching as it shriveled into nothing more than ashes.  
  
"I do love you, Chris, but I will not let you take my daughter from me." She announced softly just before reaching out to her daughter's magic and orbing away from the manor and out of their lives forever.  
  
A man appeared next to the bed right after she disappeared. A silver haired fox, with a long face and an evil grin upon it. "Because losing your daughter is your greatest fear."

tbc...

Thanks for reviewing and voting. It was so close that I ended up changing the storyline a bit. I actually like it better this way. More interesting. Oh, and i would have had this up sooner, but I've been having all sorts of problems with the site. Sorry for the wait.


	14. The truth about Chris and Emily

I make no $.

Barbas: Yes, you are still haunting them in 2026. Good work.  
AngelDranger: cause pain.  
Calen: Not evil. Barbas is still messing with her remember?  
PiperPhoebePaige: bad things.  
xxAnxInSoMnIaCsxNiGhTmArexx: Gotta have Baras Lol  
i-luv-cookies: love the name! And maybe he will????  
Taynna: Good job catching the reference. UR the first. Thanks for the compliments. I'm flattered.  
PiperLeo4eva: I'm trying!  
Vintagegirl: THanks!

Chapter 14  
  
The Halliwell Manor was full of pain. Courtney's spell had worked, everyone believed her and her child dead. Now each member of the Halliwell family had to deal with that fact in their own way.  
  
Phoebe, after giving her condolences to Chris, took her girls and left for home to spend time with her husband, Alex. Her belief in 'you never know when it might be your last day'  
drove her to want to be alone with her husband and children for some rare quiet, quality time.  
  
Wyatt, meanwhile, focused on Emily who still hadn't woken up. He was afraid that he would lose the woman he loved just like his brother had. In his mind he knew she would be okay, but his heart still clenched with every moment that passed in which she did not open her eyes.  
  
Paige was too busy comforting Pearl, who had never lost anyone before, to even say a single word to her nephew. She so wanted to be by Chris' side and help out in anyway she could,  
but her young daughter was frightened of the realization of mortality and upset over Courtney and the baby's passing.  
  
Melinda had spent half an hour by Chris' side, her arm around him as he stared into the wall. She would stroke his hair or his back, whispering words of comfort she knew were empty. How could she comfort him when she too needed some? Courtney had been like a sister to her. She had loved her too. So, how could she tell Chris everything was going to be okay when she didn't even believe it? How could she tell him that the baby was in a better place when she knew the love of a parent for a child, knew the pain he was feeling wasn't about to be softened by any words. Nothing could make the pain any better. He had lost his little girl. Mel didn't know if she would survive if she lost Parker.  
  
Bianca stood watch over them, taking Melinda's place when Chris finally spoke it was just to order Melinda to rest and not worry about him. He told her the stress wasn't good for her baby and asked that she please just go. For him. The only other person he responded to since was Piper, whom he hugged and then asked to go give Melinda another chance. He knew his sister better than anyone else, and he knew how much she needed her mother right about now. Even if she herself didn't know it yet.  
  
So, that is what Piper did. She left her son mourning for his child and fiancee and the love that had been cut short by death. Piper knew her son well enough to know that he wouldn't talk about it until he was ready. Sitting by his side wasn't going to bring the baby or Courtney back to life. All she could do was what he had asked of her. Besides, Melinda needed her too. She had wanted to speak with her daughter again before she left, and now was as good a time as any.  
  
When the eldest Charmed One reached the door to the room Leo had told her was Mel's,  
Piper reached out hesitantly pausing before knocking to gather strength and courage. It wasn't everyday that a person talked to their adult child about their own death. After a moment she sighed and rapped lightly on the door.  
  
The sound of footsteps, then the door opened. Melinda frowned as she saw Piper standing on the opposite side. "I thought I told you I didn't want to have anything more to do with you. You aren't a part of my life. You never really were."  
  
"I'm sorry to hear that." Piper said sliding past her daughter into the room. "I know what it is like to lose a mother. I was probably about the same age you were when you lost me." She turned to look at her baby girl, tilted her head to the side, smiling. "Did I ever tell you about the time my sisters and I went to the future? How I met you?"  
  
Melinda looked shocked to hear this. "No."  
  
Piper smiled wider and took a seat on the bottom edge of the bed. She patted the spot next to her. To her joyous surprise, Mel sat. The mother took her daughter's hand and continued. "I was in the future trying to help stop one of Phoebe's premonitions from becoming true when all of the sudden I met this sweet, pretty, smart little girl. When she hugged me and called me mommy I couldn't imagine anything better in the whole world. She was my daughter. My Melinda. And, when I came back to the past I held onto the knowledge that someday I would meet her again. When Wyatt was born I had expected him to be you. As much as I love your brother, I have to admit I was a little disappointed to find out I didn't get the little girl I had dreamed of every night since my return to the past. Now, here I am in the future again, and you are here!"  
  
"I never knew that." Mel lowered her head as a few tears fell down her cheeks.  
  
"Please, don't shut me out. Chris tried to do the same thing, but in the end he realized that it was best to appreciate the precious time we have together. We may not be able to change what happened to me, but I want to get to know you. I want to help you in anyway I can. I hate the fact that I end up putting my kids through the same thing I went through. No one should have to lose a parent."  
  
Melinda nodded slightly as she wiped away her tears. "I'm so scared, Mom."  
  
Piper pulled her daughter into a hug, letting the girl's head rest on her chest. "Shh, it's going to be fine. Everything is going to be all right. Chris is tough; he'll survive this. You're strong too. You aren't going to let anything happen to this child, Mel. You are going to be a great mother, and this little baby is going to adore you."  
  
"I wish you could stay. I miss you so much."  
  
Piper stroked her daughter's silky brown hair. "I know, sweetie. I know. I love you with all my heart. I will always be thinking of you and your brothers."  
  
Mother and daughter remained like that for a long while. Piper held Melinda, soothing all of her fears until the poor girl fell asleep in her mother's embrace. The eldest Charmed One gently moved her to a laying position and covered the worn out witch with a blanket. She gave her daughter a kiss on the forehead before exiting to go check on Chris again.  
  
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Emily yawned silently as consciousness claimed her. Opening one eye then the other the first sight she took in was her husband looking haggard with worry sitting by her side. She noticed that he wasn't looking at her face, but instead was focusing on their hands which were entwined. He was stroking hers with his thumb talking so softly she couldn't make out what he was saying.  
"Hey there, hot stuff." She said grinning.  
  
Wyatt's head rose quickly to look up at her face. His eyes lit up and a smile graced his lips. Without returning the greeting, the Twice Blessed bent down kissing his wife. When he pulled away he finally smiled. "Don't ever scare me like that again."  
  
"Like what?" Emily asked sitting up in bed. "I don't remember exactly what happened."  
  
"Courtney channeled you somehow. You ended playing an empath for awhile. Felt her pain as though it was yours. Still not sure how that happened." He paused thinking about it, then shook his head giving up for now. "Anyway, you passed out. Dad couldn't heal you because they weren't your wounds, and you've been out for hours."  
  
Emily's face fell. "Oh, god. What happened? Where is Courtney? Is she okay? The baby?"  
  
Wyatt closed his eyes against the pain. He didn't want to be the one to tell her, but he didn't have a choice. Besides, who better to break the news than him? They loved each other and would deal with the loss together. Help Chris together. "Baby, Courtney didn't make it. She and the baby are gone."  
  
"No." She shook her head as the first tears slipped down her face. "No, please."  
  
Her husband moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly. "I know. I loved her too."  
  
Em pulled away wiping away her tears. "How is Chris dealing so far? Is he okay? I have to go see him." She began to stand but Wyatt pulled her back down. She glared at him. "Wyatt,  
your brother needs us. I can grieve later. He just lost the love of his life and his child. I need to go to him. You should too."  
  
Wyatt frowned. "Bianca is with him. I think mom might be too. You need to regain your strength first."  
  
"Bianca? Oh, right. I forgot." Emily shook her head. "At least he didn't lose everything. He does have her and his family. She seems nice enough, but she's no Courtney."  
Wyatt nodded. "I agree. It's kind of hard to like someone who hates your guts."  
  
"Well, Wy, in all fairness you did kill her."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "I did no such thing. That was evil-me."  
  
"All the same to her. Trust me. When I read her this afternoon, she was having a hard time keeping her thoughts regarding which one of you was which straight. She was seriously giving me a headache. It's weird, really. I read her so easily, but I couldn't get a hit off of Chris at all. Usually he's an easy target."  
  
Emily sighed. "I really want to see him, Wyatt. He's been like my little brother since the first time you introduced us in elementary magic. He even grilled you the first time we went out,  
remember? It was hilarious."  
  
"I didn't think so."  
  
Emily rolled her eyes at that. "Come on, Wyatt. He needs all the support he can get. Plus, I feel fine." She pouted perfectly. "Please?"  
  
Wyatt sighed. "Fine. But we orb. I don't want you over doing it."  
  
"It's two doors down."  
  
"Don't care." He reached out a hand and she took it willingly. The couple immediately went up in blue and white lights.  
  
As they reformed in Chris' room, they saw Bianca was not holding Chris like they had expected instead she was merely sitting next to him. Neither said a word. Bianca was the one to notice when the newcomers arrived. She smiled weakly and turned to Chris. "Hey, Emily's awake. She came to see you."  
  
Chris turned to the couple. "Please, go away. I can't deal with this too." He focused on Emily. "I can't deal with _**you**_ right now."  
  
Wyatt was about to snap at his brother for being so rude to his sister-in-law when he noticed a far away look come into Emily's eyes. She was staring into the air not focusing on anyone or anything. She was getting a read on someone. A pretty powerful one by the looks of it. He touched her arm lightly to pull her out of it. "Honey?"  
  
"Oh, no." Her hand flew to her mouth. She just stared at Chris. "You were blocking me before, but now...it's so raw. The pain is too fresh to hide. The memories of...of_ us_ are too painful to hide."  
  
Bianca's mouth dropped. "Chris, is that _the_ Emily?" When he nodded, Bianca took a sharp breath in. "Oh, my god."  
  
"_The_ Emily?" Wyatt asked getting a little annoyed at being left out of the loop. "What is going on? What memories of us? What do you mean by **us**? Hey! Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?"  
  
Chris turned his head away. "It doesn't matter now. It never happened. For you at least."  
  
Emily turned to her husband an apologetic look on her face. "Well, Honey, Sweetie,  
Love of My Life, I just got a read of Chris and saw some thoughts and memories about his other life that you aren't going to like too much."  
  
"I figured that out as soon as you used so many terms of endearment." He sighed. "Just tell me already. What could be so horrible?"  
  
"He and I were highschool sweethearts."  
  
Wyatt frowned. "Tell me that means you held hands a lot, and nothing more."  
  
She blushed and started looking at the floor.  
  
"Okay. Okay. I can deal with this as long as you only kissed a couple of times." Wyatt nodded. "That picture won't cause me to orb myself into a volcano. The thought of anything further may make my stomach cave in on itself and my head explode."  
  
Chris made a hmph sound and shook his head.  
  
Wyatt glared at him. "You think this is funny? It isn't. My little brother doing the horizontal tango with my wife is not my idea of a good joke. I'm going to have that damn thought in my head for the rest of my life."  
  
The younger brother finally snapped. He rose from the bed quickly and moved to stand only inches from Wyatt. His eyes were full of fire. "Funny? Nothing about this is funny, Wyatt. I loved Emily once upon a time. We were together for six months before one day I found her dead in my apartment. She had been shot through the head with a high voltage energy ball. You killed her, damn it! I had pissed you off by creating a resistance group, so you took the only thing left I had. I found out two weeks after the funeral that she had been two months along. I have lost a child in both my lives, so don't you dare accuse me of finding anything about this funny!" He turned to Emily and shook his head. "I can't see you right now. Just leave, please."  
  
She nodded and grabbed Wyatt by the arm. "Come on. I will fill you in on everything once we get back to our room." She looked over her shoulder at her brother-in-law. "I am so sorry, Chris. For _everything_."  
  
He nodded before turning his back on her and his brother.  
  
Bianca reached out to touch his arm but he pulled away. "You can go now too."  
  
"What?"  
  
Chris turned towards her his face blank of emotion. "I need to be alone right now. So,  
could you please just go."  
  
Bianca shook her head. "Chris, you need your family right now and with Wyatt and Emily being so-"  
  
"-Just go!" He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "For now. I'll call you sometime tomorrow. I just need some peace and quiet."  
  
She leaned in to kiss him but he moved his head so she ended up pecking him on the cheek. Bianca nodded understanding why he was reluctant. "I love you, Chris." She didn't wait for him to respond. She knew he wouldn't. So, she shimmered out to leave the man she loved alone in his pain. Just as he always was.  
  
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Barbas watched the scene in the manor play out just the way he had hoped it would. Losing another child, another woman he had loved was destroying the young Halliwell. Plus,  
now that his brother knew the truth about the relationship Chris held with Emily in his other life,  
the two brothers would begin to drift further apart. Their powers, much like their mother and her sister's powers were strongest when they were together. It would be easier to pick off Chris when Wyatt wasn't watching his back. Then, all hell would break lose. Again.  
  
He turned to his partner in crime and smiled evilly. "Your power to see into other worlds was of great value to me. You, however, have nothing left to offer." He lifted his hand, holding it by the thin demon's face. "Your greatest fear is being thrown back into hell."  
  
The other male demon's eyes became wider and he swung his arms about widely scratching at thin air. After a few moments, his black hair was silver and his face was frozen in fear. He had been scared to death. Which, pleased Barbas greatly. "Ah, young people nowadays. Aren't taught to mistrust strangers offering things too good to be true." With that he stepped over the dead demon's body, snatching back the money he had offered in return for the information regarding Chris' other life. Then, he flamed out to finish scaring Courtney out of her mind. Literally. 


	15. Everybody makes up and Courtney starts t...

ilovedrew88: ditto on your name! As far as Courtney goes...??? She was dumb and now she's gonna have to deal with the consequences  
purpleant: ur right he can! And thanks for reviewing!  
charmedrox: thanks so much!  
piperleo4eva: element of surprise huh? lol  
p3foureva: I'm honored :).  
  
Disclaimer: As of this moment I only wish I owned Chris. ;) Maybe someday I will own Charmed, but I seriously, seriously doubt it. I have no $ and shall make no$ on this.  
  
Chapter 15  
  
Emily reached out to touch Wyatt's hand, but he pulled it away frowning at her. She sighed heavily and returned the denied hand back to her lap. She rolled her eyes in frustration and began cursing at her husband's ability to be so close minded and stubborn under her breath. Meanwhile, the Twice Blessed was trying very hard not to close his eyes because every time he did he saw Chris with his wife. It made him sick to his stomach.  
  
His wife finally was fed up of waiting for him to get over it. She turned to face him on their bed. When he didn't turn to look at her, she grabbed his face in her hands and pulled his lips to hers kissing him with all the passion she could muster which was a surprising amount considering how angry she was with him. When she had finished teasing his tongue with hers she backed away and glared.  
  
Wyatt blinked, slightly confused. It wasn't hard for even the weakest empath to tell how ticked she was with him. So why the heavenly kiss? "Emily?"  
  
"You are such a selfish, self-involved, spoiled, arrogant, possessive jerk."  
  
"If I'm such a rotten person then why the kiss?"  
  
Emily let out a breath shaking her head. "Because for all your faults I love you. I have always loved you. I will always love you. It's only been you, Wyatt. Since the day I met you, I knew you were the only one for me. You were my first lover, and you will be my last lover. You are **the father of my child**. Get it through your head. You have **_nothing_** to be jealous of. I'm all yours and yours alone." She grinned. "You are stuck with me, Mister."  
  
Wyatt shook his head. "I do get it. I do. It's just...for Chris it really happened. He remembers what it was like to make love to you, and I...I just can't stand it. He's my little brother, Em! And now I find out that in this other life he and you were lovers. Hell, you were carry his child. I can't help the way I feel about it. I love Chris. It's just I always thought I would be the only one who got to experience that level of intimacy with you. I know that is possessive, spoiled and whatever else you called me because he lost you and that baby in the other world, but it never happened for us and now all I can think about his lips on my wife's skin!"  
  
"If it makes you feel any better, I don't like it any more than you do. Like I said, I've always thought of Chris like a little brother, too. To find out that we were...you know, is weird and uncomfortable and just not something I ever, ever, ever wanted to even think about."  
  
Wyatt smiled slightly. "Yeah, that does help." His smile slowly faded and he turned away from her once more. "I can't believe I killed you. My own niece too."  
  
"That wasn't you. You couldn't hurt a fly. Chris changed all that. So, I don't hold you responsible for shooting me in the head with an energy ball. It never happened to me. Instead you made me endure labor pains for twelve hours and in the end gave me the greatest gift I could have ever asked for." She smiled as she touched his cheek and forced him to look at her. "You gave me my daughter. I don't care how many times you killed me in that other world because in this one, you gave me Peyton."  
  
Wyatt kissed her forehead then rested his against hers. "I love you so much, Emily. I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm sorry I acted like such a jerk. Forgive me?"  
  
"I do, but I think you and Chris are going to have to talk about this." She sighed looking into her husband's eyes. "Can you imagine what kind of life he must have had before? He always lost the ones he loved. Now that he's here he has to deal with all these changes and just when he starts to get a hold on things, he loses another love and another child." A tear slipped down her cheek at the thought of Courtney and the baby. She wiped it away and continued. "He needs his big brother whether he knows it or not. Our Chris used to tell you everything. You were so close. Don't let that slip away because of...well, me."  
  
Wyatt wrapped his arm around her pulling her into his chest. "Don't worry, Em. I'm not going to shut Chris out. I'm not going to let him shut me out either."  
  
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Piper knocked lightly on Chris' door before slowly pushing it open. When it was open wide enough for her to see in she poked her head through just enough to get a glimpse of her son. What she saw broke her heart. He was holding Peyton in his arms smiling down at the sleeping child while tears slipped down his face. He was talking so softly, so gently to the baby, bouncing her lightly to the rhythm of his voice. Her little hand was wrapped round his thumb and she was smiling in her sleep.  
  
Chris looked up as he heard Piper's breathing. He looked guilty for a minute then just sighed. "She orbed up here. I think she knew I was upset and wanted to help." He shook his head. "I would have thought she would have been the last person that could make me feel any better, but she's the one person I can talk to that won't try to tell me everything will be all right."  
  
"Oh, Chris." Piper hurried to her son's side hugging him gently as to not wake Peyton, but tight enough so he knew she was hugging him with all the love and comfort she had. When she pulled away she wiped away his tears and shook her head. "I am so sorry. I know what it is like to lose a child."  
  
Chris winced knowing she was referring to him and his vanishing act. He never wanted to hurt his mother, and to know he put her through the kind of pain he was going through made him feel awful. "I'm sorry, Mom. I really am."  
  
"You don't have anything to be sorry for. You are safe and Wyatt is no longer the ruler of all evil." She smiled through her tears. "I am so proud of you, Christopher Perry Halliwell. So very, very proud of you."  
  
He offered her a weak smile. "That means a lot to me."  
  
Peyton opened her big blue-green eyes and giggled before grabbing onto her uncle's nose and squeezing. She squealed in joy when he laughed at her antics.  
  
"It's good to hear you laugh." Piper commented.  
  
Chris nodded as he took his neice's hand away from his face. "Yeah, well, I haven't had much reason to in my life." He shook his head. "I just don't understand it, Mom. Why am I not allowed to be happy? It's like every time life starts to get good something happens and my world comes crashing down around me."  
  
"Wow, does that ever sound familiar."  
  
"What?"  
  
Piper smiled softly. "I once said that to your father and your sisters. I panicked when things got good because I was afraid something catastrophic was just around the corner. It wasn't until Barbas used that fear against me that I was able to conquer it." She touched her son's face with her hand. "Don't be like me, Chris. Don't fear happiness. I know that life has dealt you a crappy hand, but you at least have a chance in this life. It is going to take time,especially because of what happened to...to Courtney, but honey, you haven't lost everything this time. You have your aunts, cousins, father, brother-"  
  
"-Scratch that one off the list." Chris said bitterly. "He hates me now that he knows the truth about me and Em."  
  
Piper cocked an eyebrow in question. "Do I want to know?"  
  
"In the other life," Chris explained, "she and I were together in highschool. Wyatt killed her to get back at me for rebelling against him. She had been pregnant too. Just like Courtney." As he finished his eyes began to brim with tears again. He rubbed his eyes to stop them from falling.  
  
"Oh, no. Honey, I am so sorry. I wish I could change things. Make your life perfect, like you deserve it to be. I would bear your pain for you if I could, just so that you could get a little peace, a little happiness."  
  
Chris hugged his mother then, needing her support. "I know you would. That's why I love you so much."  
  
"Don't give up on your brother, Chris. I'm sure he'll understand in time."  
  
"Yeah, don't give up on me, Chris. I always come around in time."  
  
Both mother and son looked up at Wyatt at the same time. The eldest son was leaning on the doorframe watching his brother and mother have a special moment. He smiled shyly. "Forgive me for being an insensitive, self-centered jerk?"  
  
"Always have in the past." Chris replied mustering a small grin.  
  
Piper watched happily as Chris stood and Wyatt moved towards him, the two embracing tightly before pulling apart and sharing a moment in silence. Peace between the Halliwell Brothers had been restored for good. Nothing could get between them now. Nothing could stop them now. Her son's were safe and they had each other and the rest of the family to lean on. That was what she came to find out. Now she could return to her time.  
  
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Barbas watched in pure joy as Courtney sat curled up in the corner of the room rocking back and forth with her hands over her eyes. Blocking her vision wasn't going to stop her from seeing the future a la Barbas, though. Oh, no. She was trapped in her own personal hell and their was no escaping it.  
  
_Courtney glanced over at Chris from the hospital bed and smiled lovingly at her husband and their newborn daughter. When suddenly Bianca shimmered in and snatched the child from Chris, whose face suddenly changed from bliss to blankness. Courtney tried to get up, but she was in so much pain. She couldn't reach her baby! Bianca was holding Piper just out of her reach. Taunting her with her own child. Courtney cried out to Chris, but his response was to slip his wedding ring off his finger and toss it at her. Then, he gently touched Bianca's face before kissing her. Courtney sobbed as hot tears trickled down her face.  
  
Bianca grinned. "I have everything. You have nothing." Then, she turned to Chris. "Can I kill her now?"  
  
"What do I care?" He turned to the sobbing woman. "She means nothing to me."  
  
Bianca conjured an athame and threw it at Courtney's head.  
  
_Barbas stopped the image here. He needed the woman alive. Insane but alive. If he was to become the new source, he would have to have a powerful ally. Who was more powerful than Wyatt Halliwell? Easy. Melinda Warren's reincarnation. The little witch responsible for the prophesy of the Charmed Ones. He would raise the little half-breed as his own, and no one would be able to stop him. If she was too pure to be turned, he would kill her. Either way, the Warren line was going to end where it began and he would be the new all powerful source.


	16. Chris' decision and Courtney's hero

Dislcaimer: I make $0. Wish I owned Drew Fuller, but sadly enough that just ain't happening.

PiperLeo4eva: yeah, yeah he is. Well, I promise one of them will be happy. Can't promise both.  
Barbas: Thanks. Actually u won't find out until a lot later. Possibly a sequel?  
Samantha1412003: It's kewl. Babble all you want. I do it too. Lol  
Alexandra-Halliwell: Thanks!

Chapter 16  
  
"She what!"  
  
Phoebe and Paige glanced at each other, the same guilty look plastered on both their faces. It wasn't their fault really. Piper had wanted to go to the future, make sure her youngest was okay. They wouldn't have been able to stop her if they had wanted to anyway. She was stubborn as all hell and when Piper Halliwell gets something in her head there isn't a person in this world or the next who can change her mind.  
  
"Leo, what's the big deal? She's coming back." Paige retorted defensively.  
  
Leo frowned. "She could change things in the future. Interfere in the lives of the boys in ways that could hurt them. What if they don't know about the other Chris and she mentions him? Talk about shocking news. I don't want Wyatt ever knowing he was evil. I don't want Chris ever finding out he died. Besides, Piper belongs _here_. With us and her sons! Chris isn't even a whole day old. He needs her more now than in the future!"  
  
"Leo, honey, we know you are worried, but Piper is going to be back before you know it." Pheobe replied.  
  
Paige's eyebrows went up in surprise as she saw the attic wall begin to glow blue. "Speak of the devil. I think that's her now."  
  
Sure enough, Piper stepped out of the portal, a smile on her face. It faded as she saw the angry look on her ex-husband's face. "Hey to you too."  
  
"Piper, I can't believe you did this. I am worried about the boys too, but I would never-"  
  
The eldest Halliwell raised her hands in defense. "Whoa, whoa. Don't you want to know that Chris is alive and he remembers everything. We don't lose him after all. Wyatt is a good man. A doctor just like his father. He's married to his elementary school sweetheart and they have the _cutest_ little girl, Peyton. Chris and Wyatt seem to be very close too. There is still a lot of pain, issues that need to be dealt with, but they have each other and now, I know that my boys are going to be okay. Our sons are going to be all right, Leo."  
  
Leo's anger faded with every bit of news she told him. Finally, a tear slipped down his face and he made his way to his wife's side holding her tightly. "I'm sorry, Piper. For everything."  
  
"You're forgiven. Oh, and Leo." She added with a grin. "You are quite the kisser in the future."  
  
He frowned at this not entirely sure what that was supposed to mean. "Huh?"  
  
She smiled widely. "Here, let me show you." With that she kissed her husband for the first time since Chris' conception. It was received quite enthusiastically.  
  
After seeing her husband mourn for her, then attack her past self with pent up passion, Piper knew that they were meant to be together again. She had known it before she had come back through that portal. Having him act like her husband and the father of her children while she was in the future had reminded her of all the things she had loved about him in the first place,and now, she knew they could work their way back to that. She wasn't going to let him go, and she knew he wouldn't ever leave again.  
  
Paige turned to Pheobe smiling. "Yeah, as much as I wanted them back together. I don't need to see this."  
  
"Me either."  
  
"Want to go visit Chris? Introduce him to his big brother?"  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
The younger sisters orbed off to get Wyatt while his parents rejoiced in the family they knew they were going to bring and keep together. At that thought, Piper smiled widely and pulled away from her husband's hungry lips. "Thank you, Leo."  
  
"For what?"  
  
She spoke softly. "For giving me my little girl."  
  
His eyes went wide for a moment before he realized what she must mean. Melinda. The daughter of her dreams was in the future. He smiled lovingly before sweeping her off her feet and orbing them both to the bedroom to make their reconciliation complete. And as he kissed her, Leo promised himself that he would never let anything so precious slip from his grasp again.  
  
90909009  
  
Chris and Bianca had been sitting on his bed for over an hour. He had called her shortly after Piper left. Since the phoenix had arrived, they had said very few words, neither sure what to say. They just held one another, taking in the fact they were alive and together again. In Chris' mind, he wondered if it could ever be that simple though. Could he really be with Bianca after everything that had happened? Were they even the same people they had once been a life ago? She was a lawyer making the big bucks, while he was the owner of a nightclub inherited from his mother. She ate lobster at fine restaurants; he made home cooked meals for himself and the rest of his family. When they were together in the other world, none of these things mattered. The only thing they cared about was survival. They had been so much alike in that belief. Now? They both had new lives with new memories and new beliefs. Did they even fit together any more?  
  
"I feel like I don't know you right now."  
  
The young man turned to face the woman he loved and nodded. "Yeah, well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't feel like I know me either."  
  
She smiled at the comment but sobered quickly, sighing deeply. "This isn't going to work is it? Just picking up where we left off? Not now that your memories are almost all back. The gulf between us just keeps getting wider."  
  
"I can't answer that." He shook his head. "Life can never just be clear cut can it? I mean, I love you. I know I do. It's just...now that Courtney is," he couldn't say the word, he would suffocate trying to, "I just feel like it is betraying her memory. The memory of our daughter."  
  
Bianca grabbed his hand. "You're using that as an excuse." He looked ready to yell but she held up a hand to silence him. To let her finish her theory. "You haven't been the same since you started getting the memories back. Let's face it. That's the real issue. You don't know who you are so how can you share yourself with someone? You are using her death," she noticed him wince and regretted using the harsh, yet truthful word, "as a means to an end. You were thinking of ending it before now. Weren't you? You just didn't want to let go of the other life. You were using me as a life-preserver. A way to hold on to the familiar, oddly enough,  
what felt safest."  
  
Chris didn't reply but she saw his jaw get stiff, his eyes turn away from her direction. She had hit the mark. A mark which the man she loved had already found on his own, but refused to see.  
  
"Chris, if you really want to be with me, I am willing to give it a go. We can't start out as though nothing has happened, though. I'd need to start fresh. Get to know one another again. Some things haven't changed about either of us, but others have. Maybe we've changed too much, I don't know."  
  
Sighing, Chris turned to Bianca. It was time to be honest for both their sakes. "I don't think I want to be with anyone for awhile. I just can't. Not after..." he skipped that thought. "Maybe you should start living your life without me. See what happens. I don't want to hurt you by promising that everything will be like it was. Not when I'm so confused about...well, everything."  
  
Bianca nodded. "I think that would be for the best. Find yourself first. Then come find me." She leaned forward giving him a quick kiss before shimmering out.  
  
Chris sighed closing his eyes. He missed Courtney. This had been their room. This had been where they had stayed up late discussing their hopes for the future, making plans for the wedding, for kids, for getting their own place. This had been where they had made love for the first time...and for the last. This little room held more memories than Chris could bear. He had to get out of here.  
  
He orbed to the dining room in time to see Emily start feeding Peyton dinner. She glanced up smiling. "Hey, you. How was the talk with Bianca? Everything back to normal for you two?"  
  
"Not exactly. We broke up." He took a seat next to her and stroked Peyton's dark tuft of hair.  
  
Emily shook her head. "I'm sorry. She seemed...okay. I mean, I didn't really know her all that well, but I know you loved her in your other life and it's always sad to say goodbye to those you love."  
  
"Yeah, it is." He said absently. "I just have some issues I need to work through before we can try again."  
  
"But you _**are**_ going to try again, right?"  
  
Chris suddenly turned to Emily, a strange, sad kind of smile on his face. "You really haven't changed at all. It's amazing. Everyone else is different, but not you." He shook his head as though regretting saying anything. "Sorry."  
  
Emily frowned as she put another spoonful of mushed bananas in Peyton's mouth. "Sorry? You haven't done anything wrong, Chris. You can't help what happened in the other life. It just happened." She shrugged. "Besides, there are worse people I could have been with."  
  
"You died because of me, Em." He couldn't look at her.  
  
"Actually, if I read the thoughts right, which you know I did, then Wyatt was the one who shot me, so technically it would be his fault." She grinned teasingly. "His butt is so staying on the couch tonight."  
  
Chris chuckled. He couldn't help it.  
  
Emily reached over touching his hand lightly. "Chris, if I ever do or say something that reminds you of the other me and it's painful, just tell me okay? I'll try not to do it again. The last thing I want to do is hurt you. You are my absolute favorite person...besides my husband and daughter, of course. Point being, I love you and if what you need is for me to stay away I will. I can't imagine what it would be like to see a dead lover not only alive but with your sibling."  
  
"Emily, stop it. I don't want you going anywhere. Or changing because of me. It was a long time ago. In fact, in never really happened this time around, so just forget about it."  
  
"It happened for you, so I can't. I **won't** just forget about it." She paused her arguing to look at Peyton. "I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a child. If I had lost her, I don't think I would have survived."  
  
Chris closed his eyes. "Emily, please-"  
  
"No, damn it!" She bit her lip as tears slipped down her face. "I don't want to lose you as my friend, Chris. I can't. I love Wyatt, but so help me there are times when I just really need someone else to confide in. I have always been able to turn to you, and now..."  
  
Chris moved to hug her. "Hey, hey, it's okay. You aren't going to lose me. I'm okay with you being with Wyatt. He's a good guy and he loves you more than anything. That's all I could have ever hoped for. I just want you to be happy, Em. Besides, I remember being your friend for a lot longer than I remember being more than friends, so don't worry about it. It's over. I've mourned and moved on." He paused then, pulling away. His voice was little more than a whisper."At least regarding you."  
  
"Oh, Chris." Emily reached out taking his hand smiling sadly. "I'm sure Courtney and the baby are in a better place. I mean, they have to be right?"  
  
911911  
  
Courtney opened her eyes warily, looking around her dimly lit studio for signs of anyone capable of hurting her or her child. No one to be seen. Still, she stood slowly, shakily. She peered into the shadows expecting a demon to jump out at her. Or worse. Chris. Maybe the spell had worn off, or Phoebe had received a premonition revealing the truth. She wasn't strong enough to fight off the Halliwells. They would come for her and in the end, they would take her daughter away from her. She was a demon after all, powers or no.  
  
She moved onto her bed lying down. She was so tired. So very, very tired. Her eyes burned and the lids kept drooping lower and lower. Sleep sounded so nice. Never better in fact. Yes, she would close her eyes and take a little trip to dream world.  
  
"No time for a nap right now!"  
  
"Robby?" Courtney sat up quickly shocked to see a man she had sworn to kill on sight standing before her as calmly as anyone could be.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know. You'll fry my family jewels, jab your finger nails in my eyes yada yada yada. No time for being pissed off at me right now. You've got to come with me. Trust me."  
  
Courtney glared at him. "Trust you? You're a darklighter. You love manipulating people's pain. How do I know you won't try to use an astral form to manipulate me?"  
  
He grinned, his brown eyes gleaming in mischief. "Maybe I will. As it is Barbas doesn't need an astral form to mess with your mind."  
  
"_Barbas_? What are you talking about?"  
  
Robert sighed. "I came to rescue you. Now, Barbas is going to be back any second. I'd just as soon not go up against him, so could you just come with me?" She didn't move. He groaned in frustration. "He needed to regain his strength, and once he has, your hallucinations will get worse. More violent...graphic. Now, take my damn hand and **let's go**!"  
  
"Hallucinations?" She shook her head. Memories of the images Barbas had implanted in her mind starting to resurface, but now she saw them for what they truly were. "Oh, my god. He tricked me. I made Chris think...for nothing." She stood quickly, but her vision began to swim and her legs gave out beneath her. Robert caught her in his arms just in time. Consciousness was drifting, but she had to get to Chris. She had to undo the spell!  
  
The darklighter sighed. "Come on, Court. He's a whitelighter. That's just disgusting. I know I made a mistake, but I love you and I'm not letting you go again. So, forget about the little half-breed and come with me before Barbas turns us both into psychos."  
  
Her voice was soft, her eyes already closed and willing to go into a deep slumber. "I didn't know you were...a darklighter. I would never have...you're evil. I'm...I'm...not." With the last word her head fell back.  
  
He swung her legs up, cradling her body in his arms. He smiled wistfully. "Yeah, yeah, I'm evil, so what? I still love you. Is that a crime?" He glanced around the room wondering if he should bring any of her belongings with them. He frowned when he saw a picture of her with Chris. He glanced back at Courtney. "You sure have a thing for guys that can orb, you know that? Ugh. You're lucky I'm new at this darklighter thing. A few more months of the training and I probably wouldn't have had any humanity left. I would never have fallen for you, and then you'd be stuck here. As it is, I'm still pissed at you." He shook his head as he black orbed them out, his voice carrying over in disgust. "Why did he have to be a whitelighter?"

tbc... probably one more chapter left.


	17. The End or the Beginning?

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Alexandra-Halliwell--I'm sure yours will be better, but thanks!  
Karone Evertree--I agree!  
PiperLeo4eva--I'm planning a sequel. Just not right away.  
AngelDranger--Thanks a lot!  
ilovedrew88--blush Thanks!  
p3charmed4eva--Uh...no loose ends? (runs and hides behind bed) Sorry!  
spike summers--Niether, actually. I used to do Star Wars fics though.  
Barbas--Well, if college doesn't zap all my time I will start up a sequel in a couple weeks.  
  
Chapter 17  
  
One year had past. Life was beginning to seem almost normal again. Almost. Life was never completely normal when magic was involved. Especially dark magic. In the underworld a new Source had risen to power, for the first time in almost two and a half decades. A darklighter for the first time ever. No one would have ever thought a darklighter would have enough power to control the underworld, and in the end he really didn't. It was his dark queen that ran the show. She had all the power and all the allies. He was merely a figurehead in the end.  
  
Robert sighed as he turned to the seer, a frown frozen on his face. "Remind me why I chose to change her morality? You told me I would be king, **not her**."  
  
The petite woman smiled mysteriously. "Ah, but you are the king. You have all the respect and power without having to do any of the work. Isn't this what you wanted, My Sire?"  
  
"No, I wanted real power. Not just the image of power! Why the hell did you convince me to return hers when the child was born?" He shook his head disgusted. "Damn little half-breed lighter. Only thing it was good for was to die. The underworld thinks I'm a god for destroying the creature. They're impressed with Courtney as well. They feel I made a wise choice for my mate."  
  
The seer nodded. "Of course. After Barbas opened the door for you by damaging her mind enough for you to finish the job, she became quite..._evil_. Exceptionally so. She is an even better ruler of the underworld than her uncle. With the child unable to control the evil growing in it's mother's mind, the transformation was easy."  
  
Robby snorted. "Too easy. I was expecting a little challenge. Especially in regards to getting rid of the child. Losing the little girl was supposed to be her greatest fear. She never even fought me."  
  
"She has no fears now. The woman you once knew is dead. Does this bother you, Sire?"  
  
"Why would it? When we were together, I always dreamed of turning her. Hoped that one day she would see things my way. Now she does. Granted it's just a spell with the right amount of mental confusion, but hey, it works."  
  
Courtney entered the room at this point. Her once beautiful long strawberry-blond curls were now jet black and straight. Her sparkling blue eyes held nothing but contempt for everything they set sight on. She wore a dark blue dress that shimmered to appear almost black in some light. In other words, she was the picture of evil. Beautiful, powerful evil.  
  
"Talking about me?"  
  
The seer bowed. "I must be going, My Lady. Business beckons me elsewhere." She flamed out.  
  
"We were actually talking about the child. She would be almost four months old today."  
  
Courtney's expression didn't change. "Damian killed the baby. She is not four months old. She wasn't even four days old. Why speak of such a thing? It is of no importance." She moved toward him smiling darkly. "I'd rather not speak at all." She leaned in to kiss him more to shut him up than because she was attracted to him. He didn't resist.  
  
She was glad of this fact. She couldn't think about her child without wondering where the little girl was. How she was doing. Who she was with. You see, she hadn't been able to let anyone harm her child. She had killed the demon assigned to the job right before the blade met with her baby's flesh. She was evil, but she was also still at least partially human. No spell or hallucination or any other kind of manipulation would ever change that all important fact. So,she had taken her child and placed it on the doorstep of a church, and watched as a minister came out and picked up her daughter taking her away forever. She was safe. No one would ever find out about her. Not a demon, not a Halliwell. No one.  
  
Courtney could feel that something was wrong inside of her. Something was crying out in pain, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't stop being exactly the way her father had always dreamed of her being. Evil. Powerful. Cunning. And most importantly, able to forget her emotions. Well, almost forget them. The child was the only thing keeping her from being completely corrupted. The baby was gone though. Not dead, but certainly not in her life. It was better this way. The child wasn't in danger this way. She was safe so long as she wasn't with either of her parents. Good and evil would always be after her child. Neither sure which side the baby would finally end up playing for. It was best that she was gone. That she knew nothing of her past. At least, that is what Courtney convinced herself.  
  
"Courtney? Are you all right?" Robert asked pulling away. He frowned as though studying her for some semblance of the woman he once knew. She was as cold as steel and just as unbreakable. Sometimes he missed the old Courtney. The one who was so warm, loving...trusting.  
  
It was her gullibility in the end that was her downfall. She thought that because she was a half-demon goody-goody hope existed for everyone else. She thought Robby had changed. Thought that he really had wanted to help her. In the end, he had destroyed her. He had succeeded where her father had failed.  
  
She lifted her chin raising an eyebrow. "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"  
  
"Thought maybe you were thinking of that disgusting whitelighter...Chris."  
  
"Chris? Why should I think of him? He is nothing to me." She turned away folding her arms. "He betrayed me. One day, I will make him pay for it."  
  
Robby smiled. Yes one day she would make the entire Halliwell line pay. He was pleased that the prompt line he had installed in her mind was still active. The feelings of hatred toward the Halliwells still embedded deeply within her psyche. She was his puppet whether she knew it or not. With one simple sentence he could halt any thoughts of being good. Of going back to those damn witches. The brainwashing, for lack of a better term, had been a complete success. Someday he would have to thank Barbas for his help.  
  
Courtney looked down at her hands. They had been in such tight fists that she had drawn blood. Gods she hated Chris! She hated him and his whole family! When she finally regained her full power, she would kill them all. But why did the thought leave her with a giant knot in her stomach and a pain in her blackened heart? It didn't matter. They would pass in time, and then, then Christopher Perry Halliwell would get what was coming to him.  
  
911911  
  
Chris glanced in the mirror for the hundredth time. His hair was fine, his tux looked great, not a single thing wrong with what he saw there. So why was he still so nervous? This was supposed to be the happiest day of his life, right? Why did something feel...off? He turned around to face Wyatt who was dressed in his own black tux. Chris grinned anxiously. "Well? How do I look?"  
  
"Not as good as me, but hey, that's never going to change." Wyatt replied with a lopsided grin of his own.  
  
Chris rolled his eyes. "Please. Spare me the humility,_ Oh Great One_."  
  
"Great One. I like the sounds of that. Think we could talk Emily into calling me that?"  
  
"Don't hold your breath."  
  
Wyatt shook his head. "This year sure has been crazy, huh? I mean, so much has happened. Me having to deliver Parker during a demon attack, you and Bianca starting to date as though you hadn't already been in love, Em and me expecting another baby, Prue getting engaged, Paris and Mel starting college, and what about Pearl? I can't believe she is already in advanced magic. That's pretty impressive. And now, you and Bianca are finally going to tie the knot. Crazy, I tell you."  
  
Chris turned away. "Is it wrong that I still think about Courtney, Wy?"  
  
"Chris, she was carrying your child. I hardly think remembering her and missing her are crimes." His brother moved to touch his shoulder and slowly spun him around. "Now, are you ready? The girls have probably been done with Bianca for an hour. You know them."  
  
"Yeah, I really am ready for this." He smiled shaking his head. "We wanted this so much and now that it is coming true? Words aren't enough, Wyatt, they just aren't."  
  
"You earned it, Chris. Both of you." After a moment of silence, the seriousness began to bother Wyatt. He smiled pinching his little brother's cheek, mocking their aunt Phoebe. "I can't believe my little boy is getting married!"  
  
Chris pushed his brother's hand away frowning at laughing at the same time. "Shut up."  
  
"Okay, okay." Wyatt opened the door to the room gesturing. "After you."  
  
911911  
  
Much like his parent's ceremony, Chris' was to take place in the manor. Decorating had been planned and done by Phoebe, Paige, and Emily. The other girls had helped when they weren't busy with school or raising a new baby. White lilies were splashed about the room mixed in with candles and baby's breath. A white satin runner started at the top of the banister and worked its way all the way down to the priestess, Grams, who was waiting rather un-characteristically calmly, and Chris who was waiting in quite the opposite fashion. He had never been so nervous or exited in his life.  
  
Piper had even been allowed to come down for her son's wedding being as the elders allowed her to be their for Wyatt's wedding. She was so looking forward to seeing Chris finally get the happy ending he deserved. As she thought about it, a few stray tears fell down her face, but Leo quickly, gently wiped them away with his thumb, smiling down on the woman he had loved for so long.  
  
The whole family stood in two rows anxiously waiting for the ceremony to begin. Melinda and Emily were the only two seated being as they had Parker and Peyton on their laps. Parker was sleeping and Peyton was coloring. Neither knew what was about to happen or its importance to the family. They were in their own little kid worlds.  
  
As Wyatt and Bianca reached the top of the stairs, they paused smiling at one another thinking back on the time when they had almost hated one another. They had long ago gotten past their issues and were like brother and sister now. It was why she had asked him to give her away. Grams started the music and Wyatt and Bianca began to make their way down the stairs.

When Chris finally got to see Bianca, his lungs seemed to just collapse from shock. She had always been beautiful, but today, miracles occurred and somehow she seemed even more so, which he never thought was possible. And as she made her way to his side, all he could think about was how lucky he was to have her in his life again. How fortunate it was that everything worked out in the end. That he and Bianca were truly meant to be together.  
  
Just as Bianca reached his side the familiar sight of orbs appeared from behind the couch on which Mel and Emily were seated. Everyone turned around to glance at the newcomer who had interrupted such a special moment. What they saw was a young girl of about seventeen with light brown hair and amazing green eyes dressed in a simple green tank-top and black slacks. She stepped forward a scowl on her face. "I object!"  
  
Grams returned the scowl with a glare that would make any demon cower. "Just who do you think you are? This is a private ceremony."  
  
The girl rolled her eyes. "I'm from the future. The elders sent me here to prepare you for the toughest fight of your lives. Because right now, you are all too worried about your personal lives to give a damn about the innocents that will die if you **all **don't get your acts together and start focusing on your wiccan obligations."  
  
"For your information we do take those responsibilities very seriously." Chris replied sharply.  
  
The stranger turned to face him and paused for just a split second before regaining her composure. "Then why is it most of the people in this room are going to die within the next five years?"  
  
Everyone glanced around wanting to gasp but unsure if they should even believe the strange whitelighter. It was Leo who spoke next. "How do we know you are who you say you are?"  
  
"You don't."  
  
Chris shook his head. "This is ridiculous! You have to tell us something...some fact...some sort of proof."  
  
"Can't"  
  
"Why not?" Bianca asked probably more angry than anyone else in the room.  
  
The teenage whitelighter looked more annoyed than anything. "Future consequences."  
  
Chris folded his arms. "You can't use that excuse. I **invented** that excuse. Now you tell us what the hell this major threat is, or you can get out."  
  
"Okay, fine. There is a new source and if you don't prepare now, not many of you will make it out alive." The girl added as though in after thought. "Oh, and I guarantee it won't be the kiddies. So, if you love your children, you better just trust me. It'll make everything a whole lot easier."  
  
Wyatt glanced at Chris and both the brothers cast glances at their aunts. The eldest Halliwells sighed knowing that in the end they had to trust this girl. If they didn't and she was right, they could lose the ones they loved. Goodness knows if they hadn't given Chris a chance, Wyatt would still be the ruler of all evil. When Phoebe spoke, everyone knew the decision had been made. "If we are going to trust you, we'll at least need a name."  
  
"Carly Christianson. Now, if you insist on finishing this stupid wedding do so quickly. We need to get started on training immediately."  
  
As the ceremony continued, Paige turned to Wyatt. "That is one bitchy whitelighter."  
  
Carly smiled to herself and muttered under her breath, "Yeah, well it runs in the family."  
  
THE END

The sequel: _Dark Destiny_--As the Halliwells prepare to face yet another source, Courtney sinks deeper into the darkness. Will the strange whitelighter be able to stop the slide before it is too late? And why does Carly know so much about baby Piper's destiny?


End file.
